An extensible open encapsulated protocol for quality-assured wind engineering time-series

Abstract

A protocol for acquiring and archiving wind engineering time-series data is proposed that takes all the reference data of the experiment, descriptions of processes performed on the data and the results of quality assurance audits and binds these tightly together with the experimental data as a single entity. This paper demonstrates using this protocol for data acquisition, quality assurance audits, analysis and reporting. The protocol is capable of extension and evolution to accommodate changing requirements. It is currently implemented in Delphi, a Pascal-based language, but will eventually be developed into an “ActiveX” object to extend its use to any other language, such as BASIC, C or Java, that complies with the ActiveX common object model. The definition of the protocol is “open”, i.e., it is freely available. It is the hope that the source code of all programs that implement the protocol will also be made freely available by their authors, under the commonly accepted copyright terms for open-source applications. Further, it is hoped that this protocol may become internationally accredited for the purpose of quality assurance.