Life cycle management in upgrade and renewal of civil infrastructures

Abstract

Abstract In the forthcoming decades, many objects in transport infrastructure networks will come to the end of their technical, economical or functional lifespan. The replacement and renovation will require substantial budgets and a timely start to secure the current functionalities. These challenges are a main concern for asset managers. However, the replacement programmes also have the opportunity not only to maintain the currently needed functionalities and quality but also for the timely adaptation of infrastructure networks to changing demands, because these will determine the value of these networks in the future. This will give added value not only to asset managers, but also to users (e.g. increased functionality), enterprises (e.g. new business opportunities), stakeholders (e.g. increase of liveability) and society as a whole (e.g. increased sustainability). Each replacement and renovation is an opportunity to make infrastructure networks more fit for future economic and environmental needs. This means a shift in thinking for asset managers to a broader view. This paper proposes strategies for asset managers to cope with the challenges and opportunities. The traditional approach focuses on the delivery, but the key for the replacement and renovation programme is to focus on the whole life cycle through life cycle management (LCM). From the LCM-approach, four perspectives are presented to strategic decision-making on replacements and renovations: (1) broadening towards a network approach as an opportunity for redesign, (2) developing innovations for increasing requirements and budget restrictions, (3) realizing adaptive networks to cope with future challenges and (4) combining functionalities to increase added value. Ultimately the goal is to maximize value for society.