A Data Collection and Monitoring Strategy for Asset Management of New Zealand Road Bridges

Abstract

New Zealand has on average one bridge every 5.2km. The functionality of the road network is therefore reliant on the asset management strategies adopted for its bridges. To understand and manage this problem data has to be collected and the accuracy of the data has to be appropriate to the decisions being made with it. To ensure this, a data collection and monitoring strategy for asset management of road bridges has been developed. The strategy is based on a fusion of best practice and specific New Zealand practice requirements, as assessed through a review of international literature and survey of local bridge asset managers. In the strategy a combined criticality-risk approach is used to prioritise each bridge and to assign one of three development levels, comprising core, intermediate and advanced. Using these levels bridge specific data collection and monitoring strategies are recommended. These strategies provide guidance on the type of data to collect, and the inspection, evaluation and monitoring techniques that are most appropriate to collect it. Changes are also recommended to the current data collection and monitoring practices used in New Zealand, including criticality-risk based inspection timings, alterations to the inspection training programme and the implementation of formalised data management practices. By adopting the criticality-risk based strategy and by applying the changes it will ensure that the data required for the bridge asset management process is available, the data is appropriately accurate given the decisions being made with it, and that confidence can be placed in the data as it is being managed using well defined quality assurance practices. It also ensures the approaches adopted by bridge asset managers align with the bridges specific needs.