Bridge asset management using petri-nets

摘要

Management of a diverse portfolio of assets is a demanding and complex task. Although extensive research has been carried out in bridge asset management models, the model developed in this study contains flexibility which is able to model a vast array of different types of elements, under different environmental stressors and with different operational strategies. The Petri-Net model developed contains a number of different modules interconnecting to form a robust bridge asset management modelling framework. The result is an adaptable and flexible decision making tool approach to help bridge portfolio managers. The UK railway network is integral to commerce as it carries both commuters as well as freight. Their reliance on the network causes great operational pressure and that pressure is only intensifying. Planned upgrades, for example, ERTMS (1), should enable more throughput for the system, but at the potential cost of more rapid deterioration of the railway assets. Therefore, a more thorough understanding of the assets is required to be able to manage them through this period of increased operational intensity. This study focuses on bridge assets, in particular, bridges which are used on the railway network. One of the most important aspects of managing assets is understanding their failure modes and deterioration characteristics. Modern bridges built in the UK are governed by design protocols (2), however, there is very little governance on the usage of assets once they have been constructed. Understanding the deterioration characteristics is made more challenging when an existing portfolio of assets must be effectively managed which have been built from different materials, utilised under different operational strategies and maintained under different intervention policies. Managing such a diverse portfolio is a demanding and complex challenge.