| "One in nine of the nation's bridges are rated as structurally deficient" and Rhode Island is not an exception -- 56.5% of the state's bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete [1]. Bridge Management Systems use prediction models to forecast the need of maintenance for bridges. Since those systems are based on general assumptions, it is of great interest to develop a locally adapted deterioration model to make those forecasts.;In this study, a Markov Chain based deterioration Model has been developed. It is based on condition ratings provided through the National Bridge Inventory. Additionally to the development of the probabilistic deterioration model, correlations to several items of the National Bridge Inventory were investigated to gain a better understanding what types of bridges have the most issues with deterioration. Maps were created to analyze the spread of deterioration factors in the state of Rhode Island. The maps can be used to visualize the data in a more approachable way for decision makers.;Additionally to the development of the Markov Chain based deterioration model, a short literature review for a more advanced model, the Bayesian Network, was given for future reference. |
