Method for the Rapid Creation of Bridge Database Systems and Practices in Developing Countries

Abstract

In recent years, Japan has assisted in technique and capacity development for bridge maintenance and management in developing countries worldwide. Such projects are aimed at formulating maintenance and management plans, which include bridge inspection and repair techniques. However, because the current conditions of the bridges to be managed are not well understood, most developing countries have no effective data available for formulating bridge maintenance and management plans. To this end, the authors introduce a bridge database system that uses smartphones to collect bridge inventory data and implements a brief bridge inspection to help formulate bridge maintenance and management plans as a part of technical-assistance projects supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Kenya, Madagascar, and Tajikistan. Furthermore, a bridge database system that includes bridge inventory and inspection records can be established automatically during data collection and inspection work without any additional effort. This system is expected to contribute toward establishing a bridge database system in countries that have no inventory data or inspection records.