Identifying the benefits of smart infrastructure and construction

Abstract

The Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC) at Cambridge University's Engineering Department, is developing and demonstrating an exciting range of applications of "smart" technology applications in infrastructure and construction. Infrastructure developers, operators and users face a wide range of risks, to which the CSIC achievements can be applied, yielding valuable benefits throughout the continuous asset lifecycle. Benefits are derived in the design phase by avoiding over-design; in the construction phase by validating as-built quality and performance; or in the operational phase by better use of existing assets, diagnosis of cracking, or intelligent assets that sense and respond to their own condition. At several CSIC events and steering group meetings, the importance of business cases has been discussed. This paper, by a Steering Group member, aims simply to assist with that need, by identifying potential sources of value or benefit, and summarising examples of how some CSIC achievements to date create benefit. Benefits are derived through direct cost savings or a wide range of potential indirect routes, both to developers and managers of existing assets, and ultimately to the end-users, i.e. the customers, for whose use the assets are provided. Most of the indirect benefits can be monetised to some extent, to compare with the cost of the intervention as benefitxost ratios, for business cases or prioritisation. It is hoped that this framework may assist with business case development, and also for taking stock of achievements so far and looking for further opportunities or "routes to market".