A performance-based bridge LCCA model using visual inspection inventory data

Since most bridge life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) depends heavily on the analyst's experience to determine the times and costs of remedial actions over a bridge's lifetime, the results are often subject to question because of their subjectivity. While some work has been done over the years to develop reliable deterioration models for determining such times and costs, the proposed models often require sophisticated inspection data, which is costly to obtain, and/or complex mathematical calculations. A simple linear deterioration model based on visual inspection inventory data concerning bridge components is introduced and integrated into the LCC analysis. The proposed model provides an alternative approach to bridge LCC analysis that can improve the objectivity of analysis and does not require input of sophisticated inspection, and thus facilitates application of bridge life cycle cost analysis. The LCCA method developed in this study is applied to a case study of alternative PCI (Pre-stressed Concrete I-girder) and a PCB (Pre-stressed Concrete Box-girder) bridges for the purpose of model validation.