Prediction-Based Maintenance of Existing Bridges Using Neural Network and Sensitivity Analysis

Bridge deterioration is affected by various factors. However, neither the relationships between these factors and deterioration are explicitly determined, nor the relative effect of each factor on deterioration is well understood. This study proposed a methodology to resolve these issues by integrating an artificial neural network (ANN) and sensitivity analysis method. The ANN was used to predict deterioration, and the sensitivity analysis method was applied to evaluate the influence of each factor on deterioration. Testing the methodology with 3,368 bridge inspection data pieces indicates that (1) the developed ANN obtained an accuracy of about 65%; and (2) seven factors were identified affecting deterioration. The established ANN model has equivalent performance for three deterioration grades and four types of bridges. Two sensitivity analysis (the Shapley value and the Sobol indices) methods were compared, and they identified the same five most important factors. Consequently, the methodology can effectively avoid the uncertainty of factors on deterioration by providing a relative importance list of factors. The methodology’s predictive ability and factor importance identification ability make it suitable for decision-makers to understand the deterioration situations and to schedule a further inspection and corresponding maintenance strategies.

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