Procedure - trdoer50013

Procedure

The first step in any effort to identify existing dredging techniques,

procedures, and management techniques developed by domestic and inter-

national interests is the assembly and evaluation of all prior information

about the effort. Information gained from a literature search is used to de-

velop a basic profile of innovative technology. Sources of information in-

clude brochures, Web pages, periodicals, publications, and technical

papers such as the World Organization of Dredging Association (WODA)

proceedings. Several hundred documents were reviewed in the innovative

dredging technology literature search.

A database was created to record information pertaining to innovative

technologies, procedures, or methods obtained throughout the research

process. Microsoft Access 97 was selected as a commercially available,

state-of-the-art relational database program on which to build the Innova-

tive Dredge Technology Database (database). The database would be used

to evaluate investigated technologies, methods, and procedures for appli-

cability to Corps dredging programs and contracts, and to provide a reposi-

tory for the data that would allow the information to be modified or

expanded. The database was structured to individually record detailed in-

formation about a technology. Each candidate technology is assigned an

individual technology number. Technology details are input in four data in-

put areas (forms):

a. Innovative Dredge Technology Data.

b. Company/Organization Data.

c. Projects Completed with Innovative Technology.

d. Information Sources.

Each form provides subareas to input details of the technology. The

database can be continuously expanded and individual records modified

as new technologies are investigated and more information is found on

technologies already recorded. At any time the database can be queried to

provide a search on any major subject (i.e., technology category, com-

pany, projects completed, cost). Individual database records can be

viewed and printed in either the query mode or in report format.

On completion of the literature search, the various organizations that

managed or owned promising innovative technologies with potential

Chapter 3

Procedure