Design of a dimensional database for materials data

The Indian Material Database (IMDB) is a national project aiming to develop a database through compilation of materials property data available in different laboratories in India. Selecting the appropriate data modeling technique is crucial for the successful deployment of such a system. Dimensional modeling is a logical design technique that seeks to present the data in a standard, intuitive framework that allows for high-performance access. Dimensional modeling of data results in a `star schema', where the data constitutes a central fact table surrounded by dimension tables. This paper discusses the model and architecture of the material database using a `snowflake schema' which is a variation of `star schema', where some of the dimensions are normalized into multiple related tables. The database contains a central fact table linked to multiple dimension tables, each of which corresponding to one of the following dimensions 1) the materials 2) the material properties which are studied 3) specifications of the experiments conducted on materials and 4) the source from which data is obtained.