Optimized Bridge Maintenance Strategies: A System Reliability–Based Approach to Enhancing Road Network Performance
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 150, Issue 3
Abstract
Though road authorities have well-defined inspection protocols for evaluating bridge serviceability, gaps remain in understanding optimal timing and the impact of maintenance strategies on an individual bridge and its subsystems and, consequently, on the holistic performance of a road network. This paper proposes an innovative model based on system reliability principles that develops optimized bridge maintenance strategies aimed at enhancing the overall reliability of a bridge-dominated road network by considering the quantified impact of bridge component deterioration. Using the first-order second-moment method, we initially determine the reliability index for each bridge based on condition ratings derived from routine inspections as outlined in the bridge inspection manual. Advanced optimization algorithms then formulate the optimal maintenance strategies for the bridge structures. Finally, we gauge the system reliability of the network using Ditlevsen bounds approximation, considering the impact of maintenance actions on varied bridge structural components. The developed model was implemented on a typical bridge-dominated road network in Chongqing, China. The results demonstrate the model has the capacity to quantify the impact of diverse bridge maintenance strategies on the total road network, offering valuable insights for decision makers to design effective, efficient maintenance strategies aimed at extending the lifespan of bridge-dominated road networks.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank The University of Melbourne and Chongqing Communication Engineering Quality Testing for their support. The author D. Chen acknowledges the financial support from the Australian Research Council (ARC DECRA DE220100876).
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 150 • Issue 3 • March 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 22, 2023
Accepted: Oct 12, 2023
Published online: Dec 22, 2023
Published in print: Mar 1, 2024
Discussion open until: May 22, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Architectural engineering
- Bridge components
- Bridge engineering
- Bridge management
- Bridge tests
- Building management
- Construction engineering
- Construction management
- Design (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Field tests
- Highway and road design
- Highway and road management
- Highway transportation
- Highways and roads
- Infrastructure
- Inspection
- Maintenance and operation
- Structural engineering
- System reliability
- Systems engineering
- Systems management
- Tests (by type)
- Transportation engineering
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