CURRENT SITUATION AND CHALLENGES OF MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES OF URBAN EXPRESSWAY

Abstract

Hanshin Expressway is the 233.8 km long expressway network in Osaka-Kobe area consisted mainly of viaduct structures. Starting from only the 2.3 km section in 1964, the network has been expanded to the one covering the whole area and now accommodates more than 900 000 vehicles per day. Since it is one of most important transportation infrastructures in the area, the highest level of maintenance quality is always required and we have met the need by developing many efficient maintenance methods. However, even the vast amount of structures are aging and rapidly deteriorating, the further rationalization of the maintenance activities is demanded to fulfill the goal of 30% reduction of maintenance budget set after the company’s privatization in 2003. This paper introduces Hanshin Expressway Bridge Management System (H-BMS) which is a custom-made tool to evaluate the effects of such budget restriction against structural quality as well as to help construct an appropriate medium or long-term maintenance plan. Also, it explains about the methodology of setting a quantitative performance standard for routine maintenance works using Hanshin Expressway Logic Model (HELM).