%0 Journal Article
%T Bridge Management a System Approach for Decision Making
%A Reginald W. Stratt (PhD)
%J School of Doctoral Studies Journal
%D 2010
%I 
%X Bridges in the United Kingdom (UK) are subject to various physical processes that result in their deterioration over time. They can be constructed using different materials such as concrete or steel, or in combination with other materials, with varying number of spans and are used to carry different levels of loads. Inevitably, bridges deteriorate over time at different rates and they are vulnerable to varying forms of deterioration (e.g. rusting, corrosion). Timely maintenance activities that are well-planned and carried out with minimal disruption to road users can present substantial savings in terms of both time and money for both bridge owners and road users. As a result, the likelihood of disruptive emergency maintenance will be reduced and subsequent maintenance costs over the service life of bridges will not build up significantly due to neglect. To tackle the complicated issues regarding bridge management, research activities in the UK as well as other countries in continental Europe concentrate largely on the bridge management process, with attention given to improving the use of limited finances so as to maximize the returns from the maintenance and repair of the bridge stock as well as reduce additional costs due to traffic delays and lane closures for these activities. This project aims to first appreciate current bridge management systems (BMS), understand the practices used for determining bridge conditions and aid the decision-making process by using a systems approach. The study includes a critical review of other BMS's used worldwide, development of models to predict bridge condition over time, analysis of the various road user costs and using different optimizing techniques to best allocate finances and optimize bridge performance.
%K Bridge
%K Management
%K Decision
%K Making
%U http://www.iiuedu.eu/press/journals/sds/SDS_2010/DET_Article1.pdf