Conversion Between Network-level and Project-level Units of Measure for Use in a Bridge Management System

Book excerpt: VDOT is implementing Pontis 3.0 to provide the analytical component of its Bridge Management System (BMS). This system prioritizes bridge maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement (MRR & R) needs using cost/benefit analysis. The accuracy of this analysis depends on the condition assessment of the structure and the cost data of MRR & R options used in the analysis. For the network-level analysis a BMS provides, the focus is on what work was done to an element rather than how it was done. To standardize the MRR & R actions taken at the network level, commonly recognized (CoRe) elements have been identified and are used in Pontis. For each element, a set of feasible MRR & R actions has been defined. How these actions are accomplished is tracked on the project level. Contracted bridge work is managed using industry-standard pay items and quantities. There is a great deal of historical project-level data from previous contracts. However, there has not been any large scale network-level data collection effort. The purpose of this project was to examine cost management practices in VDOT and to develop an architecture for an automated project-level to network-level cost conversion process. This process should provide accurate updated cost data to Pontis by (1) using pay codes, quantities, and other contract information; (2) combining this information with existing inventory information and new inspection information about the structure; (3) reporting what CoRe feasible action was taken and the associated unit cost; and (4) providing this information in a Pontis-usable format. The investigation of cost management revealed a number of areas where VDOT could improve its practices. The research addresses potential remedies for some and, in some cases presents potentially viable conversion schemes.