Rehabilitation Decision Analysis and Life-Cycle Costing of the Infrastructure System

The infrastructure system in the U.S., which includes bridges, tunnels, sewers, and other public works, has been deteriorating at a stunning rate in the last two decades. How to effectively maintain these structures at the minimum cost is an important issue as government funding sources become stretched. This research presents a methodology using the bridge deck expansion joint as an example to demonstrate how it may help in making the best rehabilitation decision and obtain the minimum life-cycle cost for the infrastructure system. The joint condition rating and cost data were provided by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). This model can be used to decide the timing of repair and replacement and to select the best rehabilitation method at the minimum cost during the life of an infrastructure. The total cost can then be used to conduct the performance evaluation, comparing different types of structures by using the total life-cycle cost. It is expected that this model could provide a convenient and efficient way of determining the best rehabilitation scheme and evaluating the life-cycle performance of the infrastructure system.