Citation

Thompson P, Hearn G, Hyman B. Transp. Res. Circular 2008; (E-C128): 105-118.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, U.S. National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

One of the enduring challenges of bridge management has been the need for procedures and technical methods for capturing data on the implementation of bridge maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation work and using this information to improve forecasting models. Often characterized as the feedback loop of bridge management, such procedures and methods, if they can be developed and implemented, would greatly enhance the potential for long-term success of structure management strategies. National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 14-15 has directly addressed this need. The project viewed the problem as capturing data from routine maintenance management processes and converting them for use in bridge management systems. This conversion required the establishment of an intermediate classification scheme—a bridge maintenance catalog—that is compatible with existing maintenance management systems but also compatible with bridge management systems such as AASHTO’s Pontis. Using work accomplishment data classified according to the standard catalog, conventional cost accounting techniques could be applied to convert measurement units and to relate quantitative condition data and economic inputs, to economic outputs and condition outcomes. A software system using the technologies of Microsoft Excel and Access, Visual Basic, eXtensible Markup Language, and Javascript, was developed to demonstrate the conversion procedures. The software was applied to data from several state departments of transportation to compute bridge management system unit costs, action effectiveness measures, and other performance measures useful for bridge management.