Bridge maintenance prioritization using analytic hierarchy process and fusion tables

Abstract

Abstract Due to budget constraints of Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and a significant number of deficient bridges around the U.S., there is a need for a systematic approach to more efficiently and optimally allocate limited resources for bridge maintenance efforts. This paper presents a GIS-integrated decision-making framework to prioritize bridge maintenance by using aggregated bridge ratings and average daily traffic (ADT). The aggregated bridge ratings were the weighted average of deck, substructure, superstructure, and scour ratings; the weights were determined by analyzing a group of bridge experts' comparisons of the relative importance of deck, substructure, superstructure, and scour with respect to bridge resiliency, riding comfort, safety, and serviceability using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Then, a geographical information system (GIS) user interface that integrated Google™ Fusion Tables, Google Maps, and the decision-making criteria was created to visualize the priority of the bridges for maintenance. Through a case study and validation with a division bridge engineer at Oklahoma DOT (ODOT), the developed framework was proven to be a robust and reliable approach. This study contributes to industry practice by providing a systematic and implementable approach to facilitate state DOTs' decision-making for bridge maintenance without requiring extra bridge data collection effort.