Condition Index Assessment for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is developing uniform condition assessment procedures for many of its civil works structures. The collected data are to be used in conjunction with other methodologies to focus and prioritize operations and maintenance expenditures for a wide variety of a large number of (often multipurpose) structures. The condition assessment is based upon objective and repeatable measurements, which, when processed by an algorithm, produce a numeric indicator, the Condition Index (CI). The CI is a number between 0 and 100 that is a gauge of the physical deterioration of a structure. For many structural components the CI also serves as an index of functional performance. As an indicator of the condition of the structure (or functionality) the CIs are useful to maintenance managers and engineers at all hierarchical levels of management within the Corps. This article reviews the inception, approach, development, and current status of the Corps of Engineers CI program. Illustrative examples describing the development of CI inspection methods and rating algorithms are provided for steel sheet pile and lock miter gate inland navigation structures. The expected and realized benefits from the implementation of CI inspections are enumerated. The goal of forecasting economic returns on investments in the operation and maintenance of civil works projects is also discussed.