ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: User costs are usually not included when optimal maintenance strategies and decisions are made, although authors often mention that user costs ought to be included. The life-cycle costs are minimized for the considered structure without considering the often significant costs for the users of the bridge and even without considering the long-term effects of the decision. Unfortunately, the maintenance decisions are often political decisions which are not easy to accept for the community. There is clearly a need to convince the decision-makers that user costs should be considered when major decisions are made.
