1. Last Updated: April 30, 2005 NCHRP 20-64 XML Schema for Transportation Data Exchange: Project Overview and Status

2. 1 Presentation Overview XML 101 TransXML Project History, Scope and Objectives Phase I Results Phase II Status GML Experiment Future Stewardship

3. 2 XML 101 XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language XML is: widely adopted way of info exchange across web applications human-readable and self-documenting application independent An XML schema is a data structure XML schema value depends on getting agreement across software vendors and agencies that produce and consume info – this is the hard part

4. 3 XML Examples in Transportation  LandXML – roadway design info  aecXML – construction pay items  AASHTO Trns*port construction management – data exchange between modules  AASHTO Virtis/Opis – XML import and export routine  AASHTO TSIMS (proposed)  JusticeXML – driver records, arrest warrants  Location Referencing Specification (SAE J2266)  ATIS – XML vocabulary for Traveler Information Exchange  GML – geographic markup language (object model & rules for developing XML schema)  TranXML/Logistics XML  TMML – Traffic Model Markup Language – data exchange across traffic modeling software packages  FMCSA – motor carrier profile, safety audit, driver/vehicle/carrier clearance

5. 4 TransXML Project History Initiated by AASHTO’s Technical Applications and Architecture (TA&A) Task Force Driving Forces: Growing support for data exchange standards within DOT community – given ITS experience, increase in web apps LandXML success – sharing of road design info AASHTOWare program interest in migrating to XML as data exchange method in all products Desire to coordinate/fill gaps in multiple fragmented XML efforts: construction, design, safety, GIS, ITS

6. 5 TransXML Project History (continued) NCHRP Project 20-64 created with a $500,000 budget Awarded December 2003 and contracted March 2004 2 year effort – completion in March, 2006

7. 6 NCHRP 20-64 Research Team Cambridge Systematics – Business Lead & Safety Schema Bentley Systems Inc. – Technical Lead & Survey/Design Schema Michael Baker Jr., Inc. – Bridge Structures Schema Info Tech, Inc. – Construction Schema Chuck Campbell, XML Consultant

8. 7 Panel Members Loren Risch, P.E., Kansas DOT, State Bridge Engineer, Chair Steve Brown, P.E., Nebraska DOR, AASHTO Monitor Dr. Roemer Alfelor, Federal Highway Administration Todd Bergland, Minnesota DOT Lyman Hale III, P.E., New York State DOT Maurice Harmon, HNTB Corporation Liang Hsia, P.E., Florida DOT David Lively, P.E., California DOT Thomas Rioux, P.E., University of Texas – Austin Sandra Salazar, Johns Hopkins University Gregory Witt, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Mary Beth Leaf, AASHTO Liaison FHWA Liason - James Pol, ITS Transportation Specialist AASHTO Liason – Thomas Palmarlee NCHRP Staff – Chistopher Hedges, Senior Program Officer

9. 8 TransXML Project Objectives Develop broadly accepted public domain XML schemas for exchange of transportation data Recommend institutional framework for future schema development and dissemination Initial focus on four business areas: Survey/roadway design Transportation construction/materials Highway bridge structures Transportation safety

10. 9 Potential Benefits of TransXML Status Quo Future Vision Proliferation of inconsistent, overlapping data standards Time consuming to transfer data across applications Duplicative data entry Limited access to information across functional areas in an agency Technology change limits access to archived legacy data Coordinated, widely used core data standards Open, non-proprietary data formats adopted Automation of data transfer Sharing of information across planning, design, construction and operations Data archived in accessible, self-documenting format

11. 10 Project Timeline Phase I: March 2004 – September 2004 Identify Long-Term Transportation Business Areas Review Existing Schema Assess Gaps and Identify Best Initial Opportunities Investigate Stewardship Options Develop Plan for Phase II Products: Interim Report & Collaboration Web Site

12. 11 Project Timeline Phase II: November 2004 – March 2006 Develop Schemas with Stakeholder Input Scope Refinement UML Modeling XML Encoding Develop Sample Applications and Validators Implementation & Stewardship Recommendations Products: Final Report, Schemas and Sample Applications

13. 12 Project Approach Business Process – Driven Design schema based on the functional context for data exchange, not based on data modeling alone Stakeholder Consensus Widespread adoption is critical to success Involve broad range of stakeholders Focus Limit scope to highest priority standardization needs Maximize initial benefits to transportation agencies Establish framework for continued efforts

14. Phase I Results

15. 14 TransXML Current and Possible Future Scope Survey/ Design Construction/ Materials Bridge Safety TransXML Asset Management Maintenance Management Operations/ ITS Modeling/ Simulation Project Development Geospatial Data Freight/ Logistics Program Development

16. 15 Assessment of Gaps & Opportunities Survey/ Design Construction/ Materials Bridge Safety TransXML What schemas and standards exist? What are the major data exchange needs? What hasn’t been addressed? What are the best opportunities for TransXML?

17. 16 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Survey/Design – Current Schema LandXML Alignments Coordinate Geometry Points Grade Model Surfaces – point, linear, triangle Parcels Roadways (IHSDM) Survey Equipment and data Geotechnical XML Soil testing results Geographic Markup Language Geometries (points, curves, surfaces, solids, composite) Topologies Location & Coordinate Reference Systems Measurement Units Metadata Presentation Styles aecXML Infrastructure Pay Items Pay item prices for design estimates

18. 17 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Construction/Materials – Current Schema aecXML Common Object Schema Projects Documents Materials Proposals aecXML Infrastructure Project Description Project Location Special Provisions Funding Sources Pay Items Pay item units of measure Pay item prices AASHTOWare Trns*port Construction Contract Daily Work Report Geotechnical XML Soil testing results

19. 18 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Bridge Structures – Current Schema NCHRP 12-50 – Bridge Analysis & Rating Inputs – Steel Girders, Pretensioned Prestressed Concrete Girders Structural analysis results Section properties Specification information NCHRP 20-7 SteelBridge XML – content for steel bridge fabrication and construction Virtis/Opis data structure – XML output LEAP Software – design & rating (proprietary) WSDOT – no schema, but data storage format (open source)

20. 19 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Safety – Current Schema Justice XML Data Model Driver license/history Citations Driving Incidents Motor Vehicle Licensing Crash Records Markup Language (CRML) Crash data ITS Incident Management Message Sets (IEEE 1512- 2000) Location Referencing GOS Road Theme (includes ISO 19133 linear referencing standard) XGDF Roadway Navigation FMCSA Motor Carrier Profile Inspection Selection System Safety Audit Driver/Vehicle/Carrier Border Clearance TraCS

21. 20 TransXML Schema Development – Best Opportunities Potential to save time & money by: Allowing re-use of information Allowing agencies to analyze the same data set with multiple applications Criteria: Large # users for same information Data relatively static in nature Complexity & criticality Ease of consensus on standard Incentives for adoption

22. 21 Candidate XML Schema for Phase II Survey/Design Improvements to LandXML Contract pay items - Design  Construction Area feature support – GIS  CAD Construction Daily construction progress – Field  Central Office  Lab Construction status reporting – web, stakeholder systems Bridge Structure description for design and rating Safety Crash Records Highway Inventory Data for Safety Analysis

23. 22 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Survey/Design – Best Opportunities Exchanging Roadway Design Info Across Design Team Members (recommend improvements to LandXML.org) Geometric Design: Alignment Pavement section Superelevation Cross sections Geometrics Surveyor Utility Traffic Hydraulics Right-of-Way Bridge

24. 23 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Survey/Design – Best Opportunities Pay Item Information from Design to Construction (expand on aecXML Infrastructure) Pay Items Units of Measure Quantities Prices Project Design Design Estimate Final Plans Standard Pay Items

25. 24 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Survey/Design – Best Opportunities Area Feature Support (LandXML- parcels, GML) ROW Constraints Preliminary Design Wetlands Inventory Land Use Hazardous Materials Flood Plains Soils

26. 25 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Construction/Materials – Best Opportunities Publish Construction Status to Stakeholders Stakeholder Reports (e.g. utilities, RR, regulatory bodies) Project Status Project Description Location % Complete ($) % Complete (Time) % Complete (Work) Milestones Traffic Restrictions Agency Web Page Construction Management System

27. 26 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Construction/Materials – Best Opportunities Bid Package Preparation Web Browser Bid Package Location Work Type Vendor Requirements Completion Date Liquidated Damages Rate Pay Items & Quantities Contractor Bidding Systems Agency Management Systems

28. 27 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Construction/Materials – Best Opportunities Track Quantities & Materials Used and Tested Progress Payment System Installed Quantities Pay Item Quantities Materials Material Test Results Placement Location Material Samples Tests Performed Test Outcomes Project Engineer Progress Reporting Laboratory Systems Field Data Collection Systems

29. 28 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Bridge Structures – Best Opportunities Bridge Analysis/Design Load Rating Systems Bridge Structure Bridge Description Analysis Results Structural Analysis/Design Systems

30. 29 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Safety – Best Opportunities Crash Record Crash Data Validation Systems Crash Record MMUCC crash elements MMUCC linked elements Other Crash Data Collection Systems Crash Data Repositories Crash Reports

31. 30 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities Safety – Best Opportunities Highway Safety Analysis Schema Crash Data Validation Systems Highway Safety Characteristics Geometrics Safety Hardware Roadside Traffic Other Highway Data Repositories Safety Analysis Tools Crash Data Collection Systems

32. 31 Potential Use of TransXML Loose coupling Direct import/export Use as base for new, extended XML schemas

33. 32 Use of TransXML Schemas: Loose Coupling Transformation Programs (XSLT) Existing Applications Existing Import/Export Format TransXML

34. 33 Phase II Status GML Experiment investigation of the use of elements and structure for XML schema encoding in TransXML – completed For each schema area: Startup – post, notify, request - completed Initial input – scope, resources – completed UML modeling, review – in progress – comments now requested through August 31, 2005 XML schema development, review –Sept-Oct Application development – Oct-Nov

35. 34 Currently In Progress… UML Modeling Graphical and precise representation of information to be included in TransXML Primary means of getting agreement on data requirements Work out issues BEFORE XML encoding

36. 35 UML Example – Project Construction Status

37. 36 TransXML GML Experiment GML Overview Geography Mark-up Language – Open XMLstandard for geospatial information exchange GML is XML – fully W3C compliant Stewardship being transferred from OGC to ISO (19136) GML provides XML elements for: Objects (real-world entities with no geospatial properties) Features (real-world entities with geospatial properties) Geometries (e.g. points, lines, surfaces, curves) Topologies (e.g. nodes & edges for network representation) Spatial and temporal reference systems Units of measure Measurements/Observations from cameras/sensors

38. 37 TransXML GML Experiment Why look at GML? TransXML’s goal is to provide a foundation for XML schema development in transportation: Building blocks (units of measure, location, etc.) Rules for schema development – consistent naming conventions and use of XML constructs A consistent structure will make TransXML easier to use and understand XML is very flexible – minimal structure is imposed One XML schema is not necessarily compatible with another GML could be used to provide this consistent structure – designed to provide a foundation for application schemas Building on an existing solid foundation is preferable to inventing a new “bare bones” framework for TransXML

39. 38 TransXML GML Experiment What was done? Developed UML Model for Construction Project Stakeout Included entities with and without spatial attributes Developed GML and “vanilla” XML schemas to represent this content Both imported an external schema element from aecXML Developed sample instance documents Developed eXtensible Stylesheet Language (.xsl) documents for each to produce reports Compared complexity, ease of development and file sizes

40. 39 TransXML GML Experiment Provided Answers to Common Concerns - 1 GML isn’t XML; it is some other language GML is in fact W3C compliant XML – XML Spy was used to develop GML schemas and parse GML instance documents GML is only good for geospatial information; why is a geospatial language applicable to engineering data? GML’s rules for schema development provide valuable structure – regardless of the schema content. GML can be used for non-geospatial information. The experiment included a pay-item element example of this. Won’t using GML make it more difficult to integrate other, existing XML schema elements? Existing schema elements can be imported into a GML- based XML schema. The experiment provided an example of importing aecXML elements.

41. 40 TransXML GML Experiment Provided Answers to Common Concerns - 2 Does this mean vendors supporting LandXML and aecXML will have to rewrite their software import and export routines? TransXML will not be replacing LandXML, but rather working through LandXML.org to suggest enhancements to the LandXML schema TransXML will rewrite aecXML Infrastructure, but this existing schema is not widely used so the impacts will be minimal. MnDOT is the primary user and the 20-64 panel representative supports use of GML. Would using GML imply the need for a major rewrite of the AASHTOWare Virtis/Opis XML reporting tool? No – minimal changes would be required in the XML instance documents produced by V/O. An XSLT transform could be written to provide translation between TransXML bridge and V/O XML.

42. 41 TransXML GML Experiment Provided Answers to Common Concerns - 3 If TransXML is based on GML, would all TransXML users need to join the OGC? No – GML is in the process of becoming an ISO standard, and will be maintained through that organization. Does a choice of GML imply that we would give stewardship for TransXML to the GML stewardship organization? No – All TransXML elements would be maintained within whatever organization is responsible for TransXML stewardship. TransXML would not need to maintain the primitive GML elements.

43. 42 TransXML GML Experiment Answers to Common Concerns - 4 GML’s geometries lack the precision required for design data True – But TransXML does not need to use the parts of GML that do not meet its schema requirements. If a more precise geometry element is required, it would be written within TransXML Wouldn’t GML impose too much overhead and complexity on TransXML schemas and negatively impact their acceptance? The latest version of GML allows you to include only those parts of GML that are needed for a particular application schema. The GML experiment showed that GML instance documents have a few additional tags than the “vanilla” XML documents but they are easier to read due to the strict structure imposed.

44. 43 Virtis/Opis GML Example – Schema Fragment

45. 44 Virtis/Opis GML Example – XML Fragment Grade 60 60.000 ksi

46. 45 TransXML Stewardship Role and Functions Help Transportation Organizations to Reap the Benefits Technical assistance for schema implementation Ensure that implementation experience is used to improve schema and expand base of sample applications Serve as Focal Point for Continued Progress Update and enhance initial set of TransXML schemas based on stakeholder input Develop additional schema & sample applications Serve as Champion Promote umbrella framework for transportation XML schemas to avoid inconsistent and overlapping efforts Liaison with stakeholder communities, conference presentations

47. 46 Getting Involved To get involved: Go to www.TransXML.orgwww.TransXML.o Register! Join working groups Alert community to relevant resources and efforts Review and comment Submit schema for consideration/incorporation