Although many bridge management systems (BMSs) contain some forms of life-cycle costing (LCC), the use of LCC in bridge engineering is scarce. LCC in many BMSs has mainly been applied within the bridge operation phase to support decisions related to existing bridges. LCC has several useful applications within the bridge entire life, from cradle to grave. This paper introduces the Swedish Bridge and Tunnel Management System (BaTMan). A comprehensive integrated LCC implementation schema will be illustrated, taking into account the bridge investment and management process in Sweden. The basic economic analytical tools as well as other helpful LCC techniques are addressed. A real case study is presented to demonstrate the recent improvement of BaTMan practically in the function of whether to repair or to replace a bridge.  Cost records for 2,508 bridges are used as input data in the presented case study. Considering the same records, the average real and anticipated initial costs of different bridge types in Sweden will be schematically presented.

Many countries are using bridge management systems(BMSs) as the main toll for the effective management of their bridges. Althoughmany BMSs contain some forms of life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA), the use of LCCAin bridge engineering is scarce and LCCA has mainly been applied to supportdecisions related to existing bridges. This paper discuss the need of a BMSwith an integrated LCCA tool that can assist decision makers at all levels andwithin all phases in selecting the most cost-effective solution from an arrayof applicable alternatives. The paper introduces the Swedish Bridge and TunnelManagement System (BaTMan). A comprehensive LCCA implementation scheme will beillustrated, taking into account the bridge investment and management processin Sweden. The basic LCCA analysis tools as well as other helpful techniquesare addressed. A real case study is presented to demonstrate the recentimprovement of BaTMan particularly in the function of specifying the most-costeffective bridge repair strategy. The bridge user cost is included in the LCCA.The parameters that can influence the final decision are addressed andsensitivity analyses to study their impacts are performed.

The implementation of a bridge design proposal, as well as an individual bridge structural member, generally has several alternatives to choose from. The alternatives may provide the same required function. However, each of them may has different specifications concerning its initial costs, anticipated service life, required future repairs and impacts on traffic flow during repair works. Moreover, the cost categories associated with the various alternatives are incurred at varying points in time. Life-cycle costing (LCC) is an appropriate tool that can be used to specify the most cost-effective alternative taking into account all parameters. Most of the reported LCC applications for bridges were far from ideal and were content with deterministic estimates of life cycle cost instead of using sensitivity analysis. This paper briefly describes the various bridge investment phases and demonstrates the possible applications of LCC regarding them. The economic analysis tools that LCC is based on are presented. A detailed practical example to illustrate the LCC application for bridges during design and construction phases is also presented, taking into account the bridge user costs. The analysis results highlight the great feasibility and possibility of LCC implementations for bridges.