REENGINEERING THE BRIDGE INSPECTION PROCESS TO ENABLE A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

The upcoming implementation of bridge management systems (BMSs) by all state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) has resulted in a paradigm shift in maintenance planning for bridge repair. Reduced maintenance budgets have resulted in funding for bridges in an emergency state taking precedence over routine maintenance. A BMS must assist an agency in determining the optimal time to exercise improvement actions on a bridge given the funds available. The objective to adopting such a system is to improve the overall condition of an agency's network of bridges, emphasizing the need to maintain the condition of a bridge before lapsing into an unsafe state. A key point in the implementation of a BMS is that the analysis the system provides is only as good as the information that is input into the system. Very little work has been done on how to narrow the gap between the data required for the models and current inspection processes. The gap can be narrowed by a bridge inspection solution that is the result of reengineering the inspection processes. Through reengineering, all non-value added steps in the 'Current' inspection processes are eliminated in the 'To Be' processes. The 'To Be' processes are enabled by a knowledge management based bridge inspection solution that integrates the following components: Enterprise Document Management System and Electronic Forms.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • DiCesare, F P
  • Demers, P
• Conference:
  • Eighth Transportation Research Board Conference on Bridge Management
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
  • Date: 1999-4-26 to 1999-4-28
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 14p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge management systems; Bridges; Data collection; Implementation; Inspection; Knowledge management
• Uncontrolled Terms: Data needs; Electronic forms; Enterprise document management system
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Research; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00763130
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: B-5, IBMC-014
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 27 1999 12:00AM