Presentation for a Highschool Competition in Romania.

1. Romania . LICEUL DE INFORMATICA “GRIGORE C. MOISIL” IASI
project manager: prof. Emanuela Cerchez
e-mail: emanuela.cerchez@gmail.com
worldbase
we make your dream database come true
Vlad Manea Ioana-Loredana Marţin
Dragoş-Mihail Vasiliu Andreea-Corina Dumea

2. STRABAG Company: Profile
STRABAG is one of Europe’s leading construction groups.
With nearly 60,000 employees, STRABAG expects to post
revenue of about 11 billion Euros this financial year.
From its core markets of Austria and Germany, STRABAG,
via its numerous subsidiaries, is present in all countries of
Eastern and South-East Europe, in selected markets in
Western Europe, on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as in
Canada, Chile, China and India.
STRABAG generates more than 80% of its construction
output in markets in which it holds one of the top three
positions. These include the Czech Republic, Hungary,
Slovakia and Poland.
worldbase 2 / 32

3. STRABAG Research: References
Our team received from We were determined to search for a capable person that
our supervisor the task of could have provided the necessary information.
organizing our company’s
business. We talked to our colleague, Dipl. Eng. Sarghe MARIUS.
The STRABAG website STRABAG S.R.L.
www.strabag.com helped DIRECTION I.F.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
us know STRABAG’s main INTERNATIONAL
activities and values. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dipl. Eng. Sarghe MARIUS
We also looked at similar Romania Business Development Deputy Project Manager
businesses’ websites, to
find out about construction IASI ROMANIA, Str. Sos. Iasi-Holboca; Statia de Epurare
Phone: +40(0)332/108 858
companies, in general: Fax: +40(0)332/108 859
Synergy, Mobile: +40(0)728/859 106
Summa SA, E-mail: marius.sarghe@strabag.com
www.strabag.com
Rotary Constructii,
Transilvania Constructii.
At the first interview, he exposed the current STRABAG
problems and shown us some contract samples to explain
how the business works.
worldbase 3 / 32

4. STRABAG Research: References
In order to complete the STRABAG’s magazine, inform, was a helpful source of
information provided by our information for successful projects and cover stories.
interviewee, we searched
for useful resources on the The magazine also shows how our company involves in
STRABAG website. social and cultural activities for its employees (art festivals,
sports competitions, photo contests etc.):
- inform December 2006
- inform May 2007
- inform September 2007
Annual reports show our the growth of our company in time
and gave us an overview of the importance of some key
elements for the global STRABAG business:
- 2004 report
- 2005 report
- 2006 report
We also consulted an Investor Presentation where we found
financial information about our company and particularly
about its profitable growth.
worldbase 4 / 32

5. STRABAG Research: Problem
? It has become clear
that conventional
informational systems for
organizing the business
requirements could not
keep up with the ever
expanding business.
√ We came up with a
solution that consisted in
a database that would
organize the business in
a handy manner.
Roads Tunnels Civil
Bridges Services Industrial
worldbase 5 / 32

6. STRABAG Research: Business Rules
The key element for Each contract contains a special mention that allows
STRABAG’s business is possible delays due to meteorological factors beyond
the project. control. An estimated value of the project is specified.
For each project, a STRABAG divides each project into project stages,
contract is signed between depending on its size and complexity.
our company (through a
STRABAG employee Our company establishes the start date of the construction
assigned as project and estimates a deadline for the whole project and also for
manager) and the each project stage.
company that orders the
construction (client).
contract
project project
stages
worldbase 6 / 32

7. STRABAG Research: Business Rules
How does someone get When a position at STRABAG is vacant, candidates are
hired at STRABAG? selected according to their CVs and recommendation letters.
Afterwards, the selected candidates are invited to an
interview. If a candidate is hired, a medical record of all his
major diseases and medical indication is made. Each
employee has a job history. When a hired person is
promoted (demoted), the function and salary are changed.
How does STRABAG For some project stages, STRABAG may subcontract
cooperate with other specific task to specialized. In order to choose the best
companies for specific companies, an auction takes place. STRABAG evaluates the
project stages? candidates by criteria such as offers, financial status and
experience. The selected companies sign a subcontract with
STRABAG.
How does STRABAG use STRABAG provides its own equipment to project stages for
equipment on project certain periods of time. In order to use equipments that are
stages? not in its possession, our company signs subcontracts.
worldbase 7 / 32

8. STRABAG Research: Business Rules
How does STRABAG use Certain amounts of materials are bought from other
materials for a specific companies at specific prices.
project stage?
Well determined amounts of materials are taken from
stockpiles for different project stages.
price
X
quantity quantity
companies materials project
stages
worldbase 8 / 32

9. STRABAG Research: Weather Influences
Weather is the most Samples of STRABAG safety measures in a rainy day:
important factor that may
affect the business.
The meteorological
conditions influence the workers
building processes in avoid working on
different ways. electric systems
of skyscrapers.
Our database must retain
and allow retrieval of all concrete
the required weather receives special
measurements. treatments to
harden faster.
deadlines
must be changed
if some activities
are delayed.
worldbase 9 / 32

10. STRABAG Research: Weather Influences
STRABAG uses weather STRABAG measures three times a day factors such as
information in order to temperature, humidity, wind speed, precipitations at the
have equipments and location of every project stage.
workers ready to meet the
safety standards. STRABAG has agreements with local meteorological
institutes for weather forecasts. Weather forecast is sent by
Weather conditions e-mail, once for a specific day, registration time being
determine the choice of considered 00:00AM (when STRABAG does not execute
adequate materials for a weather measurements).
specific task (e.g. concrete
type or additive selection is Meteorological
influenced by temperature Institute
and precipitations).
measurement e-mail forecast
temperature humidity wind speed precipitations
worldbase 10 / 32

11. STRABAG Research: Business Needs
The business is based on Our database model provides quick answers to a wide set of
the synergy between the questions such as:
three main segments:
- Which materials, equipment, subcontractors were put
- Building construction & together to bring a specific project to life?
Construction engineering
- Based on STRABAG experts’ previous works, which of
- Road construction them should be assigned to design a tunnel in the Alps?
- Tunneling & Services - Which materials were used to build the last giant power
plant in the tundra?
Our database must be a
reliable platform for any of - Which workers are able to perform a specific task and
these activities. are not under any medical indication that forbids the task?
- What are the free market countries with the highest rate of
finalized projects in the last year?
- What equipment should be sent to do a task for a project
stage if the weather forecast predicts a torrential rain?
worldbase 11 / 32

12. STRABAG Research: Required Information
In order to fulfill the STRABAG retains each past or current project, its afferent
business needs, our contract, client, and specific project stages.
database must store data
about the following For each project stage, all subcontractors and the afferent
elements: contracts must be known.
- contracts Materials, workers, equipments, locations and weather
- projects conditions for each day of a project stage are also required.
- project stages
- employees It is required that materials have known suppliers and
- subcontracts prices. Materials are used for specific project stages in
- clients certain quantities.
- materials It is indicated that STRABAG knows other companies’
- equipment background, expertise, balance sheet and turnover.
- locations The business requires personal data, contact information,
- weather job history and medical record for each employee.
His activities in the company must be tracked as well.
worldbase 12 / 32

13. This is the diagram we have, after successive
Preliminary ERD improvements suggested in several interviews:
appear as project designer on
signed by have as appear as
designer have as pm pm on
supervised by
CONTRACT MEDICAL
# id EMPLOYEE supervise
RECORD
signer of
* estimated value # id # number
* start date #1 social number * disease
COMPANY
* proposed end date #1 residence state have * start date
supply # cui
* purpose * first name o end date
* name belong to
* last name o indication
* profile signed for
* date of birth
* address have work on
have * residence address
done
* date founded o phone number
* balance sheet PROJECT have JOB HISTORY
o e-mail
* turnover # id belong to # start date
* segment o end date
close
* description * function
expertise for * salary
divided METEOROLOGICAL o evaluation
in
PORTFOLIO SUB INSTITUTE
PROJECT closed by CONTRACT # id
# name # id * name WEATHER EQUIPMENT
* start date * task * country # date # id
o end date # time * description
* value
o quality forecast
* description # location
forecasted by used for
* temperature
closed for
* humidity
* wind speed
have influence * precipitations
used for use have part of assigned influenced by * influence
MATERIAL PROJECT STAGE
# id # id
bought use
* description * start date
from
* proposed end date
o bill
worldbase

14. STRABAG Modeling: Companies
Structural rules
COMPANY STRABAG needs to keep track of all companies they had
# cui
* name
worked in the past or are working with. The name and profile
* profile of every such company is retained.
* address
* date founded
* balance sheet The profile and the date founded attributes help to select
* turnover
only experienced companies in a specific field.
The balance sheet describes the income of a company in
the last year while the turnover refers to the amount of
money it circulates.
Each company is identified by its unique registration code
(cui). It is important to know that cui contains the initials of
the company’s country.
worldbase 14 / 32

15. STRABAG Modeling: Companies
Structural rules
COMPANY In order to know the work quality of another company,
# cui
* name
STRABAG wants to study its PORTFOLIO PROJECTS . They
* profile are also interested in the period of time when the portfolio
have * address
* date founded project took place. A PORTFOLIO PROJECT is identified by its
* balance sheet name and its LOCATION . Each PORTFOLIO PROJECT must be
* turnover
belong to placed at one and only one LOCATION and each LOCATION
EXPERTISE may be the place of one or more PORTFOLIO PROJECTS .
# start date
o end date
However, some companies could still have no expertise.
refer to
* task
placed the place
Sometimes, two or more companies work for the same
appear on
at of PORTFOLIO PROJECT . Thus, we created the EXPERTISE
PORTFOLIO LOCATION entity (a list of companies’ involvement into projects) to
PROJECT # id solve the M:M relationship. For each company, we store the
* country
# name
* start date
o address tasks achieved in each PORTFOLIO PROJECT and the
o end date
o longitude
o latitude
achievement period.
o quality
The attribute end date, in both PORTFOLIO PROJECT and
EXPERTISE entities, is optional as it might be unknown for
current projects.
worldbase 15 / 32

16. STRABAG Modeling: Companies
Structural rules
signed by the signer of
CONTRACT COMPANY A company may be:
# id # cui
* category * name
* purpose * profile - the signer (client) of one or more CONTRACTS ,
* estimated value * address
* start date * date founded - the signer (subcontractor) of one or more SUBCONTRACTS ,
* proposed end date * balance sheet - the supplier (seller) of one or more material ACQUISITIONS .
* description * turnover
the the
signer supplier
of
The CONTRACT must be signed by one and only one
of
signed by
company. The client cannot be changed once the CONTRACT
SUB made from is signed. The company that signs a SUBCONTRACT cannot
CONTRACT
# id ACQUISITION be changed either.
* task # date
* value * quantity
* description * price Thus, we made these two relationships nontransferable.
worldbase 16 / 32

17. STRABAG Modeling: Contracts
Structural rules
CONTRACT When STRABAG has a new client, our company creates a
# id
* category
contract in which the purpose and description of the work,
* purpose the period of time between the moment the contract is
* estimated value
* start date signed and the one the contract is finished, the estimated
* proposed end date value of the entire project are retained. A contract is
* description
identified by its id.
include
The category attribute indicates one of the three activity
sectors of STRABAG (Building construction & Construction
part of engineering, Road construction, Tunneling & Services) or
PROJECT STAGE Other, when the project belongs to none of the sectors.
# id
* start date
* proposed end date
o bill
The construction projects are divided into PROJECT STAGES
which should be accomplished in a predefined period of
time. PROJECT STAGES are part of a contract and each one
has its own id.
The proposed end date for a CONTRACT / PROJECT STAGE is
the date when the entire project or a specific project stage
should be finished.
worldbase 17 / 32

18. STRABAG Modeling: Subcontracts
Structural rules
COMPANY
# cui
* name A subcontract is realized between STRABAG and another
* profile
* address
COMPANY for a PROJECT STAGE . When a subcontract is
* date founded signed, the following information is stored: its task, value
* balance sheet
* turnover and description.
signer of SUB
signed by
CONTRACT The value attribute refers to the estimated cost of the
# id
closed for
* task subcontract.
* value
* description
the subject of We identify the subcontract by the COMPANY that signed it,
PROJECT STAGE the PROJECT STAGE it was closed for, and also by an
# id artificial unique identifier, id, which permits more
* start date
* proposed end date subcontracts between STRABAG and a COMPANY for the
o bill
same PROJECT STAGE .
worldbase 18 / 32

19. STRABAG Modeling: Project Stages
Structural rules
closed SUB
for
CONTRACT
# id If there are STRABAG workers assigned to do specific
* task
* value tasks for a project stage, then a WORK SCHEDULE is
* description USAGE related. An EQUIPMENT SCHEDULE is retained in the case
the for LIST
subject # time of STRABAG EQUIPMENT involvement. For specific
of the subject of
* quantity project stages, COMPANIES may be subcontracted.
PROJECT STAGE Therefore, a project stage may be the subject of one or
# id WORK
* start date
SCHEDULE
more SUBCONTRACTS . A USAGE LIST is also related if the
* proposed end date
o bill # start date project stage requires materials that are in our company’s
# start time
the the the subject of o end date possession.
subject subject o end time
of of
* task
for
Each project stage is identified by the id of the CONTRACT
EQUIPMENT it is part of, and its own id.
for SCHEDULE
# start date
for # start time The proposed end date is the date when the project stage
INFLUENCE o end date
* description o end time
should be finished, according to the CONTRACT .
The bill represents the amount of money STRABAG
receives when a project stage is finished.
worldbase 19 / 32

20. STRABAG Modeling: Materials
Structural rules
ACQUISITION
refer to
# date STRABAG obtains the necessary materials for a project by
* quantity
* price buying them. That is why it needs to have a record of the
acquired materials and the used ones. The evidence of
materials is done depending on the date of ACQUISITION .
the subject of In addition, our company must know the quantity and price
MATERIAL
of acquired material. The quantity of used materials at a
# id certain moment is also important and it is stored in a
* description
USAGE LIST . Materials are identified by an artificial unique
the subject of
identifier, id. Each material is chosen for specific weather
conditions. It is necessary to retain a description of the
material because while a project is undergoing, the
USAGE LIST weather may change and our company would need to
# date
refer to
* quantity change those with more adequate ones.
Assumptions
The materials are used in the order they are acquired.
STRABAG does not have any material loss.
worldbase 20 / 32

21. STRABAG Modeling: Equipment
Structural rules
PROJECT STAGE STRABAG uses much equipment in many PROJECT STAGES
# id
* start date
and it is interested in equipment repartition in time.
* proposed end date
o bill
The description is also important for choosing the best
the subject of
equipment for a specific PROJECT STAGE . The equipment
EQUIPMENT has assigned an artificial identifier, id.
# id
* description
used by
We had to solve the M:M relationship by creating the
EQUIPMENT SCHEDULE entity, in which we included the time
for refer to
interval (start date, start time, end date, end time).
EQUIPMENT
SCHEDULE STRABAG is interested in retaining an EQUIPMENT
# start date
# start time
SCHEDULE .
o end date
o end time
A schedule is identified by the equipment it refers to and by
the PROJECT STAGE for which that equipment is used.
worldbase 21 / 32

22. STRABAG Modeling: Employees
MEDICAL Structural rules
RECORD
belong to # number
* disease
All companies keep track of their employees. STRABAG
* start date
o end date
makes no exception. An Employee’s file contains personal
o indication data such as: first name, last name, date of birth,
have residence state, residence address, phone number, e-mail.
EMPLOYEE
# id Employees are assigned an unique identifier, id.
#1 social number
#1 residence state
* first name An employee can also be identified by his social number
* last name
* date of birth and residence state.
* residence address
o phone number
o e-mail
There may be certain situations in which an employee is
not allowed to do a specific task, because of a disease that
have
JOB HISTORY
has a medical indication for a certain period of time,
belong to
# start date defined by a start date and an end date. This data is
o end date
* function stored in the MEDICAL RECORD .
* salary
o evaluation
For retaining the personal evolution of any person in the
company, we created the JOB HISTORY entity. In this, a
start date, end date, function, salary and evaluation are
stored.
worldbase 22 / 32

23. STRABAG Modeling: Employees
supervised by
appear in Structural rules
EMPLOYEE An employee may have many functions at the same time:
refer to supervise
# id
DESIGN #1 social number
#1 residence state
TEAM * first name - be in charge of a WORK SCHEDULE with specific tasks,
o task * last name - appear with a task in the DESIGN TEAM for a project,
* date of birth
* residence address - appear as project manager (pm) on CONTRACTS ,
appear as pm on o phone number
o e-mail
- supervise one or more employees.
in charge of
have as pm
Assumption
CONTRACT
# id STRABAG retains a WORK SCHEDULE for tasks related to
* category PROJECT STAGES only.
refer to
* purpose
* estimated value WORK
* start date
* proposed end date
SCHEDULE Hired persons who have none of these functions have tasks
# start date
* description
# start time that depend on their current job.
o end date
o end time
* task
worldbase 23 / 32

24. STRABAG Modeling: Weather
LOCATION Structural rules
# id
* country
TIME o address The weather is measured on specific LOCATIONS in various
# date o longitude
o latitude
moments of TIME . We solved the M:M relation by creating
# time
registration registration place of
the WEATHER MEASUREMENT entity. The measurement
moment of
registered on registered at consists of: temperature, humidity, wind speed and
WEATHER
precipitations. Meteorological data always influences the
forecasted
by
MEASUREMENT activities of our company.
* temperature
* humidity
* wind speed If the relationship between the WEATHER MEASUREMENT
* precipitations
and METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE entities does not exist,
generate
generated by
this is a measurement made by STRABAG. Else, it is a
forecast provided by that particular institute.
INFLUENCE
* description
forecast Each TIME must have a forecast, a measurement made by
METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE STRABAG, or both.
# id
* name
* country Assumption
We only retain TIMES when STRABAG works at PROJECT
STAGES . In those TIMES , weather is measured.
worldbase 24 / 32

25. STRABAG Explanations, Constraints
Explanations Constraints
Each end date/time that For a LOCATION , the address is retained when the longitude
appears as an optional and latitude are not.
attribute represents the
real, not estimated, end A stored COMPANY has at least one of the relations with
date/time and it is filled CONTRACT , SUBCONTRACT or ACQUISITION .
when the particular activity
is finished. Each LOCATION has at least one of the relations with
PORTFOLIO PROJECT or WEATHER MEASUREMENT .
STRABAG experts can
evaluate PORTFOLIO Each end date/time must be greater than its corresponding
PROJECTS / JOB HISTORY start date/time. The same EQUIPMENT cannot be used for
through a scale of 1 to 10 more PROJECT STAGES at the same time. An EMPLOYEE
and update the result in cannot be assigned or work for more than one PROJECT
the quality/evaluation STAGE task at a certain moment. A JOB HISTORY must also
fields. contain intervals of time that do not overlap.
The geographical coordinates of a LOCATION , if they are
retained, represent the center of the area. We can identify a
LOCATION from a large surface (region) to a specific point,
defined by its address or longitude and latitude.
worldbase 25 / 32

26. Final ERD signer of
signed
by have as pm
appear as
pm on supervised by
PORTFOLIO COMPANY CONTRACT EMPLOYEE
supervise
placed PROJECT # cui # id # id
at # name * name * category #1 social number
have
* start date * profile * purpose #1 residence state
o end date * address * estimated value * first name belong to
o quality * date founded * start date * last name
* balance sheet * proposed end date * date of birth JOB
appear on have
* turnover * description * residence address HISTORY
o phone number # start date
supplier of signer of include designed o e-mail o end date
by
refer to belong to SUB * function
signed by appear in in charge have
* salary
EXPERTISE CONTRACT of
o evaluation
# start date # id
closed for
o end date made from * task refer to
* task * value MEDICAL
ACQUISITION * description DESIGN belong to
# date
design
TEAM RECORD
* quantity the subject part of o # number
refer to task
* price of * disease
the subject of refer to
PROJECT STAGE the * start date
subject
# id of WORK
o end date
MATERIAL the
refer to
for the subject
* start date o indication
# id subject of of
* proposed end date
for SCHEDULE
* description USAGE LIST o bill # start date
# date # start time
o end date
* quantity the subject of the
subject o end time
of * task
LOCATION registration place of registered at WEATHER
# id
the MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT
* country
place registration registered * temperature used by # id
of
o address TIME
o longitude moment of on * humidity * description
# date refer to
o latitude # time * wind speed
* precipitations
forecast
forecasted by for EQUIPMENT
generate SCHEDULE
METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE generated by for # start date
# id # start time
o end date
* name INFLUENCE
* country * description o end time
worldbase

27. STRABAG Sample Mapping: Weather
LOCATION
# id
* country
o address
TIME
o longitude
# date
o latitude
# time
registration registration place of
moment of
registered on registered at
WEATHER
forecasted
by MEASUREMENT
* temperature
* humidity
* wind speed
* precipitations
METEOROLOGICAL
INSTITUTE
# id
forecast
* name
* country
worldbase 27 / 32

28. STRABAG Sample Mapping: Employees
supervised by
EMPLOYEE supervise
# id
#1 social number have
#1 residence state
* first name belong
* last name
* date of birth JOB
* residence address HISTORY
o phone number
# start date
o e-mail o end date
* function
have
* salary
o evaluation
MEDICAL
RECORD
belong # number
* disease
* start date
o end date
o indication
worldbase 28 / 32

29. STRABAG Sample Report: Output
STRABAG would like to
know the construction
output volume (in percents)
for 2006.
STRABAG wants to find
out the output by segment.
It is also interested in the
output by region, where
regions must be divided in:
Germany, Austria, CEE
and the rest of the world.
worldbase 29 / 32

30. STRABAG Sample Report: Growth
STRABAG wants to know
the construction growth (in
percents) by country
CAGR 06-09E*.
*All European Euroconstruct
countries (EC-19). Source: 63rd
Euroconstruct Conference
Summary Report.
worldbase 30 / 32

31. STRABAG Sample Report: Weather
STRABAG would like to
know the locations where
projects were finalized
later than planned, due to
weather conditions.
Projects delayed between six and twelve days.
Projects delayed more than twelve days.
worldbase 31 / 32

32. STRABAG Conclusions
We imagined that we were The research for the project helped us learn how to find data
part of STRABAG INFO about STRABAG activities and how to select only relevant
SYS division and we were information from it.
assigned to come up with
By studying STRABAG, we learnt the mechanisms of a real
an informational system to
world construction company: the making of a contract, the
organize its global
subcontracting procedures, activities of employees and the
business.
transition stages from project to structure.
We wanted our database
We also improved our communication skills, by learning how
to keep up with increasing
to interview our reference, how to ask clear questions in
business demands, so
order to get complete answers, and how to make our project
flexibility and efficiency
presentation in front of our classmates:
were the key elements
when we imagined it.
Our database is a reliable
solution that satisfies the
actual business needs.
worldbase 32 / 32