Lifecycle-based discretization of bridge performance indicators

Paper in proceeding, 2016

The research concerning the performance of large infrastructure, and especially bridges, is extensive. Most prominent topics are those investigating the static, dynamic and seismic performance of bridges and all their constituent parts. The associated performance indicators include mainly the damage degree, bearing structure ductility, fragility frequency, SSI (soil-structure interaction), vulnerability, fragility, and resilience of bridges. Whereas the various indicators can be divided into certain indices groups (cost efficiency, safety, serviceability etc.), a discretization taking into account a holistic approach to lifecycle infrastructure management has not yet taken place. This paper presents such an attempt based on the key bridge performance indicators proposed by researchers in Greece, a country with important experience in this type of infrastructure. Following a targeted literature review, a conceptual schema is presented that showcases the interconnections between fundamental notions of lifecycle project management (namely constructability, sustainability and risk analysis). Then, an integrated discretization of the found grouping performance indices according to the aspects of the schema is depicted. The utility of this discretization is that the key aspects of studied research efforts concerning bridge performance indicators can be incorporated into the interconnection schema, which constitutes the first part of a, currently under development, holistic lifecycle management methodological framework. This incorporation does not only serve as an indicator regularization according to the key aspects of lifecycle project management, but also as a verification test for the schema itself in the case of certain aspects of bridges and large infrastructure in general.