Bridge improvement funding in the United States has been insufficient for years. Thus, a systematic algorithm for efficient allocation of limited budgets to deficient bridges is needed, as part of a comprehensive bridge management system. Application of one such algorithm, the Incremental Benefit-Cost (INCBEN) program, for optimal allocation of the limited budgets to bridge improvement alternatives at the system level is investigated. INCBEN is applied to a sample of highway bridges to determine a near-optimal set of improvement alternatives. The sample consists of 25 in-service bridges in North Carolina with varying structural or functional deficiencies. Selection of the near-optimal bridge improvement alternatives under several levels of budget granted; sensitivity of budget-allocation results to the discount rate, remaining life, and service life; and comparison of results with those of the sufficiency rating methods are described. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting