This research aimed to develop a comprehensive
framework with which to assist the North Carolina Department of Transportation
(NCDOT) in prioritizing bridge preservation activities based on bridge
inspection data, preservation cost, and individual bridges’ criticality to
local business.
Focusing on the 442 bridges in Division 10, the research team
worked with the experts in the department’s Structures Management Unit to
collect data on such items as bridge condition status, decision trees,
overwriting rules, unit cost, and extended service life. The traffic volume for
vehicles and trucks, detour length, and detour travel time cost were also
collected.
Employing that data, the research team established three core
models. The preservation activity triggering model develops preservation plans
using routine element inspection data from Structure Safety Reports. The preservation
cost estimation model enables accurate budgeting, strategic planning, and
timely maintenance.
The bridge criticality assessment model calculates the
criticality index for bridges based on traffic volume and detour length. An
R-based Shiny web application was built to enable NCDOT to efficiently identify
bridge preservation activities, estimate cost, and prioritize projects based on
the inspection data. With suitable adjustments, the models and web application
can be generalized to all bridges in North Carolina.
The findings will enhance
the maintenance strategy under the conditions of a limited budget for critical
bridge infrastructure, ensuring safety and longevity.
