2012 - NZ - Bridge Monitoring Stategy

This research was undertaken between July 2008 and May 2011 and brings together findings from a review of literature and a survey of New Zealand bridge asset management practices. The review and the survey identified that the type of data that is collected for bridges have to be improved if advanced bridge asset management is to be adopted. Also, techniques of data collection have to change to ensure data reliability.

To achieve these goals, a strategy is proposed that defines the data to be collected (inventory, cost, performance, safety and environmental, and risk) and how the data should be managed. The strategy also recommends changes to current New Zealand data collection practices, including improvements to the visual inspection regime, adoption of non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring, adoption of benchmarking data collection, implementation of condition rating, and improved inspector training courses.

The strategy also acknowledges that not all networks have the same requirements. A risk- and criticality-based approach is therefore promoted and outlined. The risk and criticality approach allows bridge asset managers to have flexibility to mould the strategy to their own needs and to maintain a cost-neutral data collection programme.