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Benefit-Cost Analysis for Optimal Budget Allocation to Bridges

by Foad Farid, North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, United States,
David W. Johnston, North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, United States,
Chwen-Jinq Chen, North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, United States,
Martha A. Laverde, North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, United States,
Bashar S. Rihani, North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Computing in Civil and Building Engineering

Abstract:

The funding available for bridge improvements in the United States has been insufficient for many years. The limited budgets granted have generally been allocated based on Sufficiency Ratings, empirical priority ranking formulas a subjective judgement. These methods neither select improvement alternatives nor provide an objective measure of their cost-effectiveness. Thus, a systematic algorithm for efficient allocation of limited budgets to a large number of deficient bridges is needed, as part of a comprehensive Bridge Management System. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of a budget allocation algorithm, the Incremental Benefit-Cost (INCBEN) Program, in allocating limited bridge improvement budgets. INCBEN is applied to a sample of highway bridges to determine the optimal (cost-effective) set of bridge improvement alternatives. The sample consists of 25 in-service bridges in North Carolina with varying degrees of structural or functional deficiencies.

Subject Headings: Bridge management | Maintenance and operation | Budgets | Benefit cost ratios | Systems management | Algorithms | Highway bridges | United States | North Carolina

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