4. Information TecnologyFifteen years ago, few predicted the profound impact of the revolution in information technology (IT). Most experts agree that the IT revolution represents the most significant global transformation since the Industrial Revolution beginning in the mid-eighteenth century. The integration of material science and IT is expected to generate a dramatic increase in investment in technology, which will further stimulate innovation [15].
In order to promote collaborative research activities between organisations situated at different localities, IT has been experimented to promote concrete durability research through online skill training and the electronic publications of research findings. A website has been developed incorporating some experimental web-enabled applications with ITTHO-TESTMATE [16]. It enables test results to be monitored online. As a result, experimental process and data can be viewed and monitored by research team members anytime, wherever IT infrastructure and facilities have been set up. The system requirement is shown in Figure 1.
