ABSTRACT
Worldwide development and use of Bridge Management Systems (BMS) incited the authors to think about the convenience and necessity of implementing such a tool for the bridge network of the Dirección de Vialidad de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, DVBA (Department of Roads of the Province of Buenos Aires), which has about 2000 bridges. Instead of taking a ready-to-use product, it was considered more appropriate to develop it by their own, according to the specific resources and needs. (Soprano & Cernuschi 2001).
To do this it was necessary on the one hand, develop an original theoretical basis. This support should meet two conditions:
Be compatible with the possibility of generating the amount of data to power the system through DVBA own resources.
This limitation should not significantly affect the quality of the results.
Moreover, this theoretical basis should be reflected in a computer system that would store and process large amounts of data necessary to obtain the desired response.
The result was a product which meets all the requirements expected for a BMS in the current state of the art): “A BMS help decision makers to select the optimal alternative of cost and efficiency aimed at achieving the desired service levels while respecting the funds available and to identify funding requirements that will be needed in the future. A BMS should also provide an inventory of bridges, a record of the inspections conducted in each work and reflect budget realities. It is, therefore, a very elaborate system oriented to properly balance the engineering and management needs” (Bignoli et al. 1998).
In developing the G-PUENT system, it has taken into account the experience of many years in the local environment, in order to achieve a useful and effective tool, but that also requires accessible resources for an agency as DVBA.
The initial step taken by the DVBA, was the implementation of an inventory where the initial baseline data of each network bridge overturned. (Soprano & Cernuschi 2001). From this it was possible to face the task of creating a Bridge Management System that meets the needs of the agency.
To this end, several criteria were developed, on which both informatics tools (software) and engineering tools (manuals, forms, specifications and recommendations) were designed.
The BMS was developed in WEB platform with a SQL Server data from the application made by the Department of Bridges of DVBA on an Access database.
The change of platform and database, provide the BMS allowed the possibility of multi-user remote access to its concurrent use by the System Administrator and DVBA Zones, using the local network or Internet.
The G-PUENT system is proving to be an extremely useful tool, completing all the basic requirements which, by international standards, are considered expected in a Bridge Management System.
Technical criteria on which the BMS was developed are explained. Institutional actions taken by DVBA concurrent with the development of this product are also related. An overview of the BMS method of use, screens and reports system is made. Finally, functionality and benefits obtained are evaluated.
