ABSTRACT
Each construction, during its life cycle, will encounter deterioration depending on several factors such as the environmental condition, the natural aging, the quality of the material, the execution of works and the planned maintenance. There, the performance indicators should, by its definition, allow capturing the life-cycle degradation processes affecting maintenance plans or the remaining lifetime. Consequently, design procedures based on the prediction of the deterioration processes are being developed, where the performance indicators for the present and future structural condition on both deterministic and probabilistic level should be defined and determined. The qualitative or quantitative performance indicators are first obtained through visual inspections, nondestructive tests or monitoring systems. After their quantification, the comparison with the respective performance goals and thresholds should be performed, in order to evaluate if a Quality Control (QC) plan has been accomplished.
Given that the concept of performance indicators has been recently introduced, there can still be noticed large deviations in obtaining the indicators and their goals. For that reason, the COST Action TU1406 intends to bring together the knowledge about performance indicators. During this Action, specific recommendation for assessing the performance indicators are going to be developed, whilst the corresponding goals are being defined. The QC plan will be achieved for an each performance indicator, in order to provide comparison of the assessed value and prespecified goal. Since the QC plans vary from country to country, the Action aims to standardize the condition assessment and maintenance level at a European level, in particular of roadway bridges. Altogether, main objectives of the Action are: (a) systemization of the knowledge on the QC plans for bridges, (b) collection and contribution of up-to-date knowledge on performance indicators, (c) establishment of a wide set of quality specifications through the definition of performance goals, targeting that the performance requirements are met, (d) development of a guideline for the assessment of performance indicators and establishment of respective goals, and (e) development of a database with performance indicator values, with respect to performance methods, goals and thresholds and with flexibility to accommodate country-specific requirements.
This contribution reflects on the work of the first Working Group, WG1, e.g. of what is being recently developed. The first step here is a collection of the key performance indicators. Initially those key performance indicators which capture mechanical and technical properties and its degradation behavior are assessed, while the further consideration reflects on the natural aging, quality of the material, service life design methods, and sustainable, environmental, economic and social based indicators.
For the purpose of the quantification of performance indicators, a database has been developed. The user interface for the survey is structured in a way that information may be stored in the four groups: Performance Level, Damage, Performance Indicator/Index and Performance Assessment. Besides this data, there is an opportunity to add additional references and specific information about a group element. Therefore, the first assignment for the 36 countries participating in the Action is a systematic and comprehensive screening of relevant national documents.
