Web-based construction document processing via malleable frame

Technical integration is regarded as one of the major approaches to improve data interoperability. The Web-based integration approach used in this stu dy is a relatively new approach in this field, but it possesses great poten tial. Web-based front-end integration is based on XML technology. This stud y investigates the use of a construction document as a "malleable frame" th at can be adjusted according to the user's needs. The study also determined that a malleable frame system is technically feasible and that the key is to have a neutral data format built on a standard "Construction Markup Lang uage." In addition, a pilot study was conducted to determine whether proces sing a malleable frame construction document is more efficient than process ing a standard document. Overall, it is still inconclusive as to whether us ing the malleable frame system is more efficient than using the standard sy stem, because other features of the malleable frame need to be studied as w ell. However, this research presents an alternative to achieve construction data interoperability via the Web and shows that the approach used will im prove construction document processing in certain cases.