Correct maintenance priorities

Setting the right priorities in civil infrastructure management is also important to minimize risks. The government will also be monitoring this more closely. For example, new European legislation is currently being drawn up to prevent tragedies such as the collapse of a major bridge in Genoa in mid-2018. Too late, unfortunately, to prevent another bridge in Italy from collapsing recently, fortunately this time without costing human lives.

Reduce traffic jams

Another point of attention within civil infrastructure management is the traffic flow. If you close a road or parts of it, or close a bridge to carry out maintenance, this should not lead to major traffic jams and thus to economic damage. And of course, you would prefer not to incur penalty points for this. But how do you know what the effect of a closure is on the traffic flow? And how do you ensure that this impact is kept to a minimum?

Utilize maintenance and other data

The answer to all these and other questions about civil infrastructure management starts with the right data. Consider historical data on the state of maintenance of structures. But also data about the weather and its influence on, for example, the road surface or a steel structure. Or data on the load on a bridge due to traffic. With cameras, sensors and soon even drones linked to the Internet of Things (IoT), it is possible to collect this type of data automatically.

Analyses and ‘if then’ scenarios

Imagine linking all that data within a special solution for civil infrastructure management to technical documents, strength calculations, regulations or information about traffic flows. And that you unleash artificial intelligence on it. For example, for making risk analyses, proactively signaling possible problems or predicting the maintenance activities that you would preferably tackle next. Or imagine that you can create ‘if then’ scenarios, which, for example, show when and how you close a road with the least chance of traffic jams.

Streamline all work processes

Civil infrastructure management does not stop there. Because it would of course be even better if you could also streamline all underlying work processes. By also collecting, linking and analyzing relevant data about these processes and making an optimization effort based on this. This ranges from planning, the deployment of employees and asset management, to the purchase of maintenance material and parts and the realization of a safe working environment.

Innovative solution for civil infrastructure management

There is now a solution for civil infrastructure management available that already makes much of what is described in this blog a reality. Because IBM has added a new industry solution to its IBM Maximo portfolio: IBM Maximo Civil Infrastructure Management. A next version is expected in the second half of this year, with even more possibilities. The result? Firstly, optimization of your maintenance work, in all respects. Secondly, a longer lifespan of assets, through timely maintenance. And finally, minimal risks of disasters such as in Genoa, by taking measures before it is too late.