Life-Cycle Management to increase social value at renovations and replacementProf.dr.ir. M.J.C.M. Hertogh, Professor, Delft University of Technology, Delft
Asset managers of civil infrastructures are faced with increasing complexity in their networks, due to increasing societal and technical demands, ageing infrastructure and limited budgeds. A safe and reliable infrastructure, managed from a multi-perspective life-cycle view, is of vital importance for a sustainable and competitive society.
Life Cycle Management (LCM) opts to create an optimal value for society over the life cycle of infrastructure. The fact that many civil assets come to the end of their technical or functional lifespan stimulates the development and implementation of LCM.
Asset managers face specific challenges in the operationalization of LCM. In this paper we will present 8 main challenges for LCM. For each challenge, some new developments will presented to illustrate the state of the art of science and practise when it comes to LCM.
- LCM: Balancing life cycle performance, life cycle cost and life cycle risks.
Life Cycle Management (LCM) helps asset managers in managing an asset or asset system throughout the whole life cycle on the basis of finding the best balance between performances, finance (costs and benefits) and risks (opportunities and threats).
- The asset itself: What do we know from the assets?
Life Cycle Management starts with knowing the state of the assets, a photo. A photo that gives insight for each asset: functionality, performance, operational costs, etc. But a photo is not enough. We need also a film of these aspects to make reliable forecasts.
- Innovative solutions: How to upscale?
Ageing of infrastructure and the need for physical interventions can boost innovations because of the scale of the programme. Examples are more standardised solutions (such as the development of a Dutch lock), new materials, and more sophisticated construction methods while substantial functionality must remain.
- Dynamic environment: Quest for adaptive solutions.
We live in a dynamic environment, with changing demands for assets, due to external factors such as climate change, self-driving cars and heavier trucks, but also due to changing societal demands, for instance related to sustainability issues. How to cope with these changes?
- Extra requirements: Towards robust solutions.
Asset managers face extra requirements, such as liveability, safety and sustainability.
- Network perspective: Need for redesign.
Replacement programmes give room for redesign of (parts of) our network. The pitfall is to keep on thinking from the existing network, while it could be beneficial to redesign.
- Combining of functionalities: The ultimate goal is to create value for society.
After Second World War the infrastructure network has been expanded by often mono-functional projects: a dam for water safety, a road for traffic, etc. Nowadays problems are faced with this approach. Our current society has broader needs, as well as other functionalities can increase value and support.
- Challenge for the asset manager: Playing with Complexity
The question is: How to cope with all of these challenges? Asset managers have the attitude ‘to keep it simple’ and to focus on their own assets like they always did. But is this also effective?