Maintenance Planning for Deteriorating Bridges Using Preference-based Optimization Method

A new method is presented to determine maintenance actions and schedule for deteriorating bridges. The maintenance planning of deteriorating bridges is formulated as multi-objective optimization problem that treats the maintenance cost as well as the condition grade of the bridge deck, girder and pier. To effectively address the multi-objective optimization problem and decision making process for the obtained solution set, we adopt a preference-based optimization model and apply a genetic algorithm as a numerical searching technique. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified numerically on a typical prestressed concrete girder bridge. The optimal sequence and schedule of maintenance actions such as repair, reinforcement and rebuild are determined by the proposed method. To model the deterioration process of the bridges, actual condition grade data in Korea is used.