Proposal for an Integrated Decision Support System for Bridge Type Selection during the Conceptual Design Phase

Today, when it comes to selecting the most appropriate bridge type and defining its respective component and properties, no systematic procedure exists when the bridge is still in its conceptual design phase; selection is often based on the subjectivity of the decision-makers, which is regarded as a weakness in bridge project processes. A Decision Support System (DSS) that operates in an artificial intelligence (AI) environment and takes into account most of the relevant factors (e.g. acquisition cost, aesthetic appearance, and life-cycle cost (LCC)), is very much needed, in order to achieve decision consistency. The aim of the research addressed in this paper is to propose a methodology for developing systematic procedures that can help decision-makers select the most appropriate type of bridge, with its various components and parameters, in a given situation, as well as predict its LCC and other characteristics, such as the level of public satisfaction and environmental sustainability.