Recommended Citation
Cai, H., Yuan, C., McClure, T. B., & Dunston, P. S. (2015). A synthesis study on collecting, managing, and sharing road construction asset data (Joint Transportation Research Program Publication No. FHWA/IN/JTRP-2015/20). West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University. https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284316005
DOI
10.5703/1288284316005
Abstract
Accurate and complete construction records and as-built data are the key prerequisites to the effective management of transportation infrastructure assets throughout their life cycle. The construction phase is the best time to collect such data. Assets such as underground drainage and culverts are visible and physically accessible only during construction. For assets such as guardrails, signals, and pavement, it is safer and more efficient to collect data during construction than after construction when the road segment is open to traffic.
The purpose of this project was to conduct a synthesis study to 1) assess the current status at INDOT regarding the collection of asset data during the construction phase and the use of such data in the operation and maintenance (O&M) phase, and 2) develop a framework for INDOT to leverage the construction inspection and documentation process to collect data for assets. Data needs during O&M were identified through rounds of meetings with relevant INDOT business units. The current practice in construction documentation was investigated in detail. A survey of state highway agencies (SHAs) was conducted to assess the state-of-the-practice.
A practical framework was developed to leverage the construction inspection and documentation practice to collect asset data that are needed in O&M. The framework uses specific pay items—construction activities that result in physical structures—as the bridge to connect plan assets (i.e. physical structures specified in the design documents) to their corresponding counterparts in the asset management systems. The framework is composed of 1) a data needs component for determining the information requirements from the O&M perspective, 2) a construction documentation module, and 3) a mapping mechanism to link data items to be collected during the construction documentation to data items in the asset management systems. The mapping mechanism was tested and validated using four priority asset classes—underdrains, guardrails, attenuators, and small culverts—from an INDOT construction project. The testing results show that the newly developed framework is viable and solid to collect asset data during the construction phase for O&M use in the future, without adding extra workload to construction crews. The framework can reduce/eliminate the duplicate data collection efforts at INDOT, leading to savings and efficiency gains in the long term.
Report Number
FHWA/IN/JTRP-2015/20
Keywords
asset management, data needs, information management, life cycle data sharing
SPR Number
3707
Performing Organization
Joint Transportation Research Program
Sponsoring Organization
Indiana Department of Transportation
Publisher Place
West Lafayette, Indiana
Date of this Version
9-2015
SPR-3707 Appendix D.pdf (12633 kB)
SPR-3707 ebook.epub (17234 kB)