Life cycle cost analysis based optimal maintenance and rehabilitation for underground infrastructure management

Abstract

This study presents a sanitary sewer management decision-making framework incorporating demand forecasting and life cycle cost analysis. The framework provides the asset managers with an alternative approach in sewer management. It is designed to allow asset managers to better allocate limited funds for maintenance and rehabilitation by identifying possible problematic sewers and devising a maintenance plan to prevent costly sewer failures. Sewer demand forecasting model is developed using an artificial neural network. The forecasted sewer demand is then used to identify “critical” areas, where the current hydraulic capacity is less than the forecasted sewer demand. In such areas, an optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy is developed through the application of probabilistic dynamic programming in conjunction with Markov chain deterioration modeling.