Comparative study of optimized and conventional bridges: Life cycle cost and environmental impact

In recent years, environmental problems have become serious issues in the whole world. Researchers and practical engineers in civil engineering have to pay enough attention to the environmental impact in addition to the function, safety, cost and aesthetics at all lifecycle stages of civil infrastructures. In this study, the estimation is made for the lifecycle CO2emission, and lifecycle cost of both the conventional bridges and minimum maintenance bridges. According to the results concluded from this research, the lifecycle environmental analysis and the lifecycle cost analysis may deduce various conflicting bridge design and management schemes so that the bridge engineers and government managers should consider the environmental impact as a fundamental criterion in addition to the lifecycle cost during the decision-making process for the bridge lifecycle management. In addition, the characteristics of lifecycle environmental impact and lifecycle cost of bridges using new technologies have advantages compared with those of the conventional bridges. © 2004 ASCE.