Abstract
Preventative Maintenance (PM) measures can be used to postpone/delay the initiation of corrosion from chloride attack in reinforced concrete bridges. However there are a lot of uncertainties that influence their degree of effectiveness. Also the time-application of these measures can raise a conflict between safety requirements and budgets. This paper presents a stochastic approach for estimating the effectiveness of different PM measures. Additionally a two-stage optimisation methodology using the principles of Genetic Algorithms (GA) is developed to address the problem of the timeapplication by linking the effectiveness with the cost to produce optimum PM strategies. Futhermore, the role of the presented time-dependent probabilistic approach in the proposed two-stage GA methodology for obtaining optimum PM strategies is demonstrated.
Highlights
Maintaining bridges in an acceptable and serviceable condition is an expensive but inevitable task since they represent a valuable asset of the transport network of any country
This paper presents two methodologies as part of a wider study by the authors that aims to develop optimum preventative maintenance (PM) strategies framework for RC bridges
The first methodology is a stochastic Preventative Maintenance (PM) effectiveness methodology that provides a tool for relating and modelling the uncertainties associated with the effectiveness of different PM measures such as the large scatter and variability of field data
Summary
Maintaining bridges in an acceptable and serviceable condition is an expensive but inevitable task since they represent a valuable asset of the transport network of any country. More work is needed to model the effectiveness of specific PM actions on particular deterioration mechanisms. Another vital issue is the effective use of the limited maintenance funds. To this effect, it is necessary to develop a methodology that will provide an optimum PM strategy that indicates the time-application of various PM measures while taking into consideration that specific objectives need to be satisfied. The methodology is developed and demonstrated for a range of different PM measures applied on a typical bridge element (i.e. a reinforced concrete beam) under chloride attack
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