Objective Condition Assessment for Inland Navigation Structures

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the construction and maintenance of myriad structures within its business areas of hydropower, recreation, environmental stewardship, coastal navigation and protection, flood control, and inland navigation. Since 1984 the Corps has been developing methodologies for rank ordering competitive budget items that must be funded with ever decreasing funds. One such methodology is the objective condition assessment of structures using condition index procedures. The condition index is a gauge of the physical deterioration of a structure and is designed to give uniform results on a Corps-wide basis. This paper presents an overview of the condition index, and condition indexing procedures and measurements for the array of inland navigation structures, including locks, dams, gates, operating equipment and riverine training structures such as stone dikes and revetment. The condition index is used as an M&R decision support tool at all levels of Corps management hierarchy. Other decision support criteria and data are discussed. New efforts in applying management based on performance measures are also addressed.