Balanced allocation of bridge deck maintenance budget through multi-objective optimization

Multi-objective optimization method for the allocation of bridge deck Maintenance, Repair, and Rehabilitation (MR&R) budget is proposed using Bridge Management System (BMS) models. In single-objective optimization method, the objective function is usually either total annual MR&R budget or structurally deficient deck area which must be minimized with given annual budget. These objective functions are minimized with constraints, and the solution methods are well-known for the most cases. In multi-objective optimization, objective functions can be the structurally deficient deck area as well as annual MR&R budget. Since structurally deficient deck area and level of annual deck MR&R budget are closely interrelated, State agencies need the method to balance the investment-deck improvement trade-off. This paper uses multi-objective optimization technique with linearly weighted sum method to find balanced MR&R alternatives for the network of bridge decks. Data obtained from Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) are used to validate the feasibility of application of multi-objective optimization for the maintenance of bridge decks.