Dynamic planning for civil infrastructures

Civil infrastructure is generally defined as networks of interconnected physical assets that societies rely on to function. These infrastructures are highly valuable due to their economic and societal benefits. Managing infrastructure is inherently complex due to its large size, interdependence, longevity, continuous use, variety of users, and exposure to uncertainty. Ongoing shortages in infrastructure funding further highlight the need for cost-effective management. To both include the complexities and increase the cost-effectiveness of infrastructure management, we examine challenges that arise in various types of civil infrastructure.

We develop tailored models to address these challenges and enhance dynamic decision-making across different phases of an infrastructure’s lifetime. Specifically, we consider problems encountered due to uncertainty during construction, operation, maintenance, and end-of-life phases in road networks, ATM networks, and water main systems. Dynamic strategies based on our models lead to significant cost reductions, improved performance, and higher infrastructure availability compared to existing approaches in the literature. Furthermore, we use these models to derive rules of thumb and insights that are easy to use in real-world decision-making. Implementing these strategies would enhance infrastructure management and ultimately contribute to economic growth.