INTEGRATION OF BRIDGE AND PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: A PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT

As federal funding programs become more flexible, tools are required to enable upper level decision-makers to assess tradeoff of investments across varying transportation assets. The impact of allocating funds to one asset versus another asset must be considered when making current decisions. Asset management systems currently used by transportation agencies, namely bridge and pavement management systems, do not consider other asset classes when developing programs or needs estimates. One theoretical approach would employ the same predictive and optimization models for all types of assets. This approach may not be necessary and separate bridge and pavement management systems may be maintained, assuming that relational data models are accessible to ensure data compatibility and eliminate data duplication. With existing models, economic measures are used and, again theoretically, the outputs may be synthesized to develop joint programs. However, output compatibility quickly becomes an issue. For instance, benefit-cost ratios for bridge improvements may take precedence over all pavement activity, which may in turn take precedence over all bridge maintenance, repair and rehabilitation (MR&R). Under constrained scenarios, therefore, a potential situation arises where all funds are allocated to bridge improvements with pavement and bridge MR&R activity deferred. Such a result is unrealistic and does not adequately reflect the network-level needs or the preferences of upper-level decision-makers. Furthermore, this approach limits the considerations deemed important by these decision-makers, such as safety, preservation of investment, the effect on the environment, rideability, user costs, and mobilitiy issues. A framework is developed and proposed to permit the measurement of asset management system outputs as indices reflective of these decision variables. This framework provides the basis for a comprehensive, integrated asset management system approach. Application of the procedure is outlined and discussed.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Small, E P
  • Swisher, M
• 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; References;
• Pagination: 14p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Assets; Bridge management systems; Decision making; Management; Pavement management systems; Strategic planning; Variables
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fund allocation; Systems integration
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Design; Finance; Highways; Pavements; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00763171
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: K-3, IBMC-045
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 3 1999 12:00AM