Societal aspects of bridge management and safety in The Netherlands

Bridges and other structures are designed for lifetimes of 50 to 100 years. A careful choice of requirements for a bridge is crucial in fulfilling societal needs, not only now, but also in the future. The cost of maintenance is substantial in the long run, because it depends on design choices made. For this kind of problems, a life-cycle costing (LCC) approach is an absolute necessity.