Overview

TransXMLXML Schema for Transportation Data Exchange

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XML is a way to organize and define data

Data that used to look like this…123456789LAND RICHARD1120 N ST942739166546490019446301PEDERSEN NEIL 707NCALVERT ST024616175276933126321091KOBETSKY KEN 444NCAPITOL ST200012026245254

Now look like this in XML…<Person>

<SocialSecurityNumber> 123-45-6789 </SocialSecurityNumber><Name>

<LastName> LAND </LastName><FirstName> RICHARD </FirstName>

</Name><Address>

<StreetAddress> 1120 N STREET </StreetAddress><City> SACRAMENTO </City><State> CA </State><ZIPCode> 94273-1110 </ZIPCode>

</Address><TelephoneNumber> 916-654-6490 </TelephoneNumber>

</Person>

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The Basics about XML

eXtensible Markup Language

It’s easy to interpret – you can “read” it

“Tags” (like <Person> or <TelephoneNumber>) can describe almost any kind of information

Each XML file is known as a “document”

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XML 101

XML is:• A widely adopted way of exchanging information

across web applications• Human-readable and self-documenting• Independent of individual applications/software

An XML “schema” is a data structure• A schema’s value depends on getting agreement

across software vendors and agencies that produce and consume info regarding what pieces of data to include and how they should be defined

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What is an XML Schema?

A set of rules describing the types of information that can (or must) appear in an XML document

For example: An accident report document…

• Must contain the date, time, and location…

• Must contain information on one or more vehicles…− Each vehicle must have a VIN, Make, Model, Plate #…

− May have one driver (name, birth date, license #...)

− May have one or more passengers (name, birth date…)

• May contain information on one or more pedestrians…

• [etc.]

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Examples of XML 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

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The History of “TransXML”

Initiated by AASHTO’s Technical Applications and Architecture (TA&A) Task Force

NCHRP Project 20-64 created with a $500,000 budget

Driving Forces:

• Growing support for data exchange standards within DOT community – given ITS experience, increase in web apps

• Success of LandXML – sharing of road design info

• AASHTOWare program interest in migrating to XML as the data exchange method in all products

• Desire to coordinate/fill gaps in multiple fragmented XML efforts: construction, design, safety, GIS, ITS

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TransXML Project Objectives

Develop broadly accepted public domain XML schemas for exchange of transportation data

Recommend an institutional framework for future schema development and dissemination

Initial focus was in four business areas:

• Survey/Roadway Design

• Transportation Construction/Materials

• Highway Bridge Structures

• Transportation Safety

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Potential Benefits of TransXMLStatus Quo Future Vision

Proliferation of inconsistent, overlapping data standards

Time consuming to transfer data from one application to another

Duplicative data entry

Limited access to information across functional areas in an agency

Changes in technology limit 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

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TransXML Current and Possible Future Scope

Survey/ Design

Construction/ Materials

Bridge Safety

Current Focus Areas

Asset Management

MaintenanceManagement

Operations/ITS Modeling/Simulation

ProjectDevelopment

GeospatialData

Freight/Logistics

ProgramDevelopment

Potential Future Focus Areas

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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

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The Goal of TransXML Survey/Design Example

Example: Imagine exchanging design info across all team members and having their individual software programs be able to instantly read and interpret all project data correctly

Geometric Design:Alignment

Pavement sectionSuperelevationCross sections

Geometrics

Surveyor

Utilities

Traffic

Hydraulics

Right-of-Way

Bridge

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Next Steps

Joint Technical Committee on Electronic Engineering Data has endorsed TransXML as the best way to standardize the transfer of data among softwares

4 subcommittees have also endorsed TransXML as the starting point for further work in standardizing data transfer:

• Bridges and Structures

• Construction

• Design

• Information Systems

The Joint Committee is looking for SCOH’s and the Board’s endorsement prior to moving forward with additional work in this area, as this is likely to be a long-term effort over the coming 5-10 years