Evaluation of Factors Affecting Bridge Management Using Hierarchical Analysis (AHP)

Bridges are the key element of land transportation, and due to the large number and cost of construction, the maintenance of these huge assets is very important. As the financial resources are usually limited, selecting and prioritizing bridges for maintenance is complicated. Therefore, by using bridge management system (BMS) software, bridge maintenance is done more quickly and accurately. In this study, using the Hierarchical Analytical System (AHP) method, first the criteria and parameters affecting the management of the bridge have been determined and then the importance of the mentioned parameters has been studied and analyzed based on the opinion of experts. Finally, it has been concluded that "design according to codes and regulations", "quality of materials" and "quality and accuracy of construction" are the most important criteria that must be considered before starting the operation of the bridge. Furthermore, effective parameters in bridge management system software are "user safety", "type, number and severity of defects" and "maintenance costs". Thus, the desired criteria and parameters according to the priority can be used in prioritization models and budget allocation.