The Need

Transportation infrastructure depends on a robust and well-maintained system of bridges. In the U.S., federal law requires that bridges be inspected once every two years. Some states, including Ohio, require bridges to be inspected every year. One problem with these inspections is that for several decades, various bridge performance metrics have been developed and used to inform on the states of bridges, and these metrics have had shortcomings. These metrics use subjective weight factors to account for consequences, neglect major safety- and serviceability-related consequences, or do not effectively utilize available data on bridges. These indices may indicate unrealistic/subjective estimates of the performance of bridges and furthermore result in improper (or not optimal) repair and preservation strategies.

The Technology

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed the Transportation Asset Management Program as a response to the Ohio Department of Transportation's need for a reliable metric and asset management framework. The researchers have developed a performance index called the bridge condition index (BCI) and a management solution for large bridge inventories. The performance index is reliable and objective, effectively utilizing both bridge inventory and inspection data. The index takes into consideration multiple attributes of bridge performance with respect to bridge preservation and vulnerability using a single number.

Commercial Applications

• Decision-making on budget allocation in transportation asset management
• Planning for maintenance, repair, and replacement action
• Understanding the lifecycle cost of bridges

Benefits/Advantages

• The index and framework evaluate the performance of a bridge's element-, component-, bridge-, and network-levels, helping decision makers plan for maintenance, repair and replacement actions at each level
• BCI identifies bridges that are structurally/operationally unsafe using comparison to minimum condition-state thresholds and prioritizes repair actions
• BCI incorporates safety risks associated with defects in structures, allowing for identification of critical elements with safety concerns so that these elements can receive immediate corrective repairs
• BCI includes procedures to reliably determine costs of consequences due to performing various repair activities
• BCI systematically computes the duration of performing repair work plans, assisting agencies with accurate calculation of indirect user costs due to repair activities, as well as efficient scheduling of repair projects