The Bridge management System (BMS) resides within the Road and Bridge Information Application (RBIA) as shown in the Figure below. The BMS includes a prioritization algorithm that determines the Bridge Needs Ratio (BNR) for each bridge. The BNR is a normalized number that indicates the need for intervention to each bridge, based on the number and severity of observed defects, and it enables the bridges to be ranked in terms of needs.
Inspections of bridges, identified by the BMS as requiring intervention, are carried out on the basis of annual bridge condition surveys. The objectives of the engineering inspections are to confirm the recommendations of the BMS based on a detailed investigation of the observed defects and to determine the scope of work of the recommended intervention. Bridges are included in either the Bridge Major Maintenance Program or the Network Development Program based on the recommendations of the engineering inspections.
