APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A VERTICALLY INTEGRATED CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS

摘要

A vertically integrated construction business is disclosed. Specifically, a system and method for employing the World Wide Web (416) in a business that vertically integrates the concrete materials procurement, specification, submittals, quotation, testing for compliance with specifications, automated mixture optimization, and manufacturing processes in the construction industries. A relational database is provided with linked objects to create both standards-based (402) and manufacturer-based specifications (410) for concrete and concrete constituent materials. Concrete recipes utilizing the defined specifications are developed either prescriptively or performance-based. Standards-based basemixes that specify concrete can be instantiated into production mixes using local materials. All of the data is preferably published in XML format (414) over the INTERNET, providing real-time feedback to concrete batch plants and specifiers (412).