BRIDGE MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION DATA: LEVERAGING THE DATA AND IDENTIFYING THE GAPS

Abstract

Data used to support bridge management vary from agency to agency. collection of these data is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, as bridges continue to age and agencies are under increasing pressure due to limited resources, there is a great need to ensure that data collection is rational. This paper reviews the gaps between what data are actually collected and what is required, and the opportunities to leverage existing data collection efforts. The gaps and opportunities are explored in three areas. First, the role of bridge management data as inputs to analysis tools such as rating programs is explored. Second, detailed safety inspection data are rarely included in bridge management programs, but again they are a critical input for rating and analysis tools. Finally, the inclusion of results from rating and analysis tools in bridge management systems is the exception rather than the rule. The paper also describes the need for a new approach to data collection in terms of these gaps and the existing data. To decide what information should be included in the bridge management system, the paper then describes some tools that are used to evaluate the data needs of an organization and the value derived from additional information. These tools are applied to the case of load rating data.