The systematic procedures of a bridge management system provide bridge managers with tools for making consistent and cost-effective decisions related to maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of bridges on a systemwide basis. An optimisation model was developed as part of an effort to develop a comprehensive bridge management system for the Indiana Department of Highways (IDOH). The techniques of dynamic programming, integer linear programming, and Markov chain were applied in the model. The use of dynamic programming, in combination with integer linear programming and Markov chain, provides bridge managers with an efficient tool for system optimisation and budget allocation in managing bridge systems. The model can be used to plan bridge maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement activities for a given bridge budget and program period. The application of dynamic programming assures that the results are optimal not only for a program period but also for the subperiods.
Abstract