An asset management system is a decision support tool to identify facilities needing treatment, and to find cost-effective treatments for application at any given time to meet a desired level of service within imposed budget constraints. There are few agencies using asset management systems in Japan. However, all agencies must use their budgets cost-effectively due to the constraints imposed by the recent economic depression, and the current state of infrastructure built during a period of high economic growth beginning in the 1950s. This infrastructure not only has structural deficiencies due to fatigue but also the facilities are functionally obsolete compared with current standards. Japanese highway agencies have to build asset management systems as soon as possible to manage existing investments in an effective and efficient manner. Japanese agencies also have an opportunity to learn from U.S. experiences and avoid some of the failures experienced in the U.S., in developing asset management systems. Building on the experiences in the U.S. and Japan, this paper describes a conceptual framework for an asset management system for use in Japan using a Geographic Information System (GIS). This so called integrated management system serves as a decision support tool for all phases - from surveying to operation - for Japanese highway infrastructure. (a)
Abstract