Bridge management in Turkey: a BMS design with customised functionalities

The overall design and customised functionalities of a bridge management system (BMS), developed in Turkey in 2009-2013 period (the so-called KYS), are presented. The novel design features are explained. Development of the web-based BMS involved the establishment of a bridge inventory database, a detailed multi-layer cost database with an itemised unit cost breakdown capability, inventory management, cost and planning modules, optimal allocation of maintenance-repair-replacement (MR&R) budgets while producing repair cost estimates at damage level, a network-level multi-criteria prioritisation implementation, establishment of a damage-level condition evaluation and rating model, 13 separate customised functionalities, and visual inspections and data entry for a pilot group of 200 bridges. Matrices containing bridge types versus element types and element types versus damage types are constructed. For each element, a dynamic list is developed that can expand or contract depending on an element's damage types. A check mark-based interactive decision-making capability is built, by which the user can overwrite the recommended decisions. BMS is being used by the bridge administration. Out of a total of 7514 bridges in Turkey, in 2014, the damage-level inspection data of over 3000 bridges is entered into the inventory. Entry of bridge and inspection data for the remaining bridge stock will be completed in 2015.