Sustainability in bridge management

  • László Gáspár KTI
  • Dema Ahmad Széchenyi István University
  • dr. Zsolt Bencze Ferrobeton Ltd.
Keywords: sustainability, bridges affair, bridge management, Building Information Modelling (BIM), risk analysis

Abstract

Public roads are a crucial element of a country's economic life. Within them, the adequacy of bridges is also of paramount im-portance for the national economy. Sustainability aspects have recently gained increasing importance. The aim of this article is to review the sustainability issues of road bridge management, mainly based on the literature research results of a PhD thesis in progress, and to discuss the aspects of Building Information Modeling (BIM). It presents the most important results achieved in these areas worldwide and outlines the main development directions.

 

Author Biographies

Dema Ahmad, Széchenyi István University

PhD student

dr. Zsolt Bencze, Ferrobeton Ltd.

quality control manager

References

Ahmad, D.M. (2025). Development of a Sustainable Bridge Management Model (SBMM) integrating Risk Management, BIM, and LCSA. PhD Thesis. Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Engineering Sciences, Széchenyi István University, Győr (under review)

Arora, N. K., Fatima, T., et al. (2018). Environmental sustainability: Challenges and viable solutions. Environmental

Sustainability, 1, 309–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42398-018-00038-w

Ansori, S., Yusuf, R. (2023). Addressing the global environmental crisis: Strategies for sustainable development. West Science Social and Humanities Studies, 1(02), 63–75. https://doi.org/10.58812/wsshs.v1i02.190

Lawrence, M., Homer-Dixon, T., et al. (2024). Global polycrisis: The causal mechanisms of crisis entanglement.

Global Sustainability, 7, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2024.1

Wenping, L., Hongling, G. (2014). Improve the Design and Construction of Bridge Projects: A Case Study of a Long-Span Steel-Box Arch Bridge Project. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems.

https://doi.org/10.5772/58442

Enayat, A. M., Sibel, E., Lei, G., Hadjikakou, M., Liu, Q., Kwakkel, J., Reed, P. M., Obersteiner, M., Guo, Z., Brett, A. B. (2022). Early systems change necessary for catalyzing long-term sustainability in a post-2030 agenda. One Earth, 5, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.06.003

Moshood, T.D., Rotimi, J.O., Shahzad, W. (2024). Enhancing sustainability considerations in construction industry projects. Environment, Development and Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04946-2

Ayarkwa, J., Opoku, D.-G. J., Antwiafari, P., Yi Man Li, R. (2022). Sustainable building processes’ challenges and strategies: The relative important index approach. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 7, 100455.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2022.100455

Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction. (2022). 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction. United Nations Environment Programme.

Pahl-Wostl, C., Odume, O. N., Scholz, G., De Villiers, A., Amankwaa, E. F. (2023). The role of crises in transformative change towards sustainability. Ecosystems and People, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2023.2188087

Molnár, I., Gáspár, L., Lublóy, L., Bakó, A., Kolozsi, Gy. (2002). Hungarian 5-year Bridge Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program, as a part of Asset Management. IABSE Symposium Report. 86, 34-42. https://doi.org/10.2749/222137802796336180

Elsawy, M., Youssef, M. (2023). Economic Sustainability: Meeting Needs without Compromising Future Generations. International Journal of Economics and Finance, 15(10), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijef.v15n10p23

Caldarola, B., Mazzilli, D., et al. (2023). Economic complexity and the sustainability transition: A review of data, methods, and literature. arXiv preprint arXiv: 2308.07172. https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.07172

Tunji-Olayeni, P. F., Mosaku, T. O., Oyeyipo, O. O., Afolabi, A.O. (2018). Sustainability strategies in the construction industry: Implications on Green Growth in Nigeria. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 146(1), 012004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/146/1/012004

Jeong, Y., Kim, W., Lee, I., Lee, J. (2018). Bridge inspection practices and bridge management programs in China, Japan, Korea and U.S. Journal of Structural Integrity and Maintenance, 3 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/24705314.2018.1461548

Wan, C., Zhou, Z., Li, S., Ding, Y., Xu, Z., Yang, Z., Xia, Y., Yin, F. (2019). Development of a Bridge Management System Based on the Building Information Modeling Technology. Sustainability, 11, 4583. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174583

Zhao, Z., Gao, Y., Hu, X., Zhou, Y., Zhao, L., Qin, G., Guo, J., Liu, Y., Yu C., Han D. (2019). Integrating BIM and IoT for

smart bridge management. IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 371 (022034), https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/371/2/022034

Du, G. Karoumi, R. (2013) Life cycle assessment of a railway bridge: comparison of two superstructure designs, Structure, and Infrastructure Engineering, 9(11), 1149-1160, https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2012.670250

Fang, Z.; Yan, J. et al. (2023) Systematic Literature Review of Carbon Footprint Decision-aking Approaches for Infrastructure and Building Projects. Appl. Energy 335, 120768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.120768

Milić, I., Bleiziffer, J. (2024). Life cycle assessment of the sustainability of bridges: methodology, literature review and knowledge gaps. Frontiers in Built Environment, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1410798

Navarro, I., J., Yepes, V., Martí J. V. (2021). Sustainability life cycle design of bridges in aggressive environments considering social impacts. International Journal of Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements, 9(2) 93-107. https://doi.org/10.2495/CMEM-V9-N2-93-107

Nahangi, M., Guven, G., Olanrewaju, B., Saxe, S. (2021). Embodied greenhouse gas assessment of a bridge: A comparison of preconstruction. Building Information Model and Construction Records. Journal of Cleaner Production, 295, 126388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126388

Venkateswaran, B. (2021). Sustainable practices in bridge construction. Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 1(6), 24–28. https://doi.org/10.29187/jscmt.2021.56

Penadés-Plà, V., García-Segura, T., Martí, J., V., Yepes, V. (2016). A Review of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods Applied to the Sustainable Bridge Design. Sustainability, 8, 1295. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121295

Feghhi, M., Khedmatgozar Dolati, S. S., Mehrabi, A., Malla, P., Tabiatnejad, D. (2024). A New Framework for Condition and Risk Assessment for Sustainable Management of PT Bridges. Sustainability, 16(22), 9703. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229703

Bahamid, R.A. Doh, S.I. (2017). A Review of Risk Management Process in Construction Projects of Developing Countries. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 271, 012042. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/271/1/012042

Agárdy, G., Gáspár, L., et al. (2000). Adaptation of PONTIS BMS to Hungarian conditions. 4th Bridge Engineering Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 61-70.

Wei, J., Chen, G., Huang, J, Xu, L., Yang, Y., Wang, J., Sadick, A.-M. (2021). BIM and GIS Applications in Bridge Projects: A Critical Review. Applied Science, 11, 6207. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11136207

National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). (2015). National BIM Standard – United States (NBIMS-US). URL: https://www.nationalbimstandard.org/

National Building Specification (NBS). (2021). URL: https://www.thenbs.com

Huang, Z., Tu, C., Li, G. (2021). Application of BIM Technology in Bridge Engineering and Obstacle Research. 7th International Conference on Environment and Renewable Energy, IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental

Science 798 (012013). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/798/1/012013

Ullah, K., Lill, I., Witt, E. (2019). An Overview of BIM Adoption in the Construction Industry: Benefits and Barriers. 10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization (Emerald Reach Proceedings Series), Vol. 2, 297-303. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, https://doi.org/10.1108/S2516-285320190000002052

Hoang, G., Vu, D., et al. (2020). Benefits and challenges of BIM implementation for facility management in operation and maintenance face of building in Vietnam. IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 869, 022032. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/869/2/022032

Rolfsen, C, N., Lassen, A, K., et al. (2021). ECPPM 2021 - eWork and eBusiness in Architecture, Engineering and Constructions. Chapter: The use of the BIM-model and scanning quality assurance of bridge constructions. 1st edition, Taylor & Francis group.

Shim, C., Yun, N., Song, H. H. (2011). Application of 3D Bridge Information Modeling to Design and Construction of Bridges. Procedia Engineering, 14, 95-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2011.07.010

Marzouk, M. M., Hisham, M. (2014). Implementing earned value management using bridge information modeling. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 18, 1302–1313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-014-0455-9

Chan, B., Guan, H., Hou, L., Jun, J., Blumenstein, M., Wang, J. (2016). Defining a conceptual framework for the integration of modelling and advanced imaging for improving the reliability and efficiency of bridge assessments. J Civil Struct Health Monit 6, 703–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-016-0191-6

Dawood, M. (2018). BIM Based Bridge Management System. In: Şahin, S. (eds) 8th International Conference on Engineering, Project, and Product Management (EPPM 2017). EPPM 2017. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74123-9_17

Ciccone, A., Suglia, P., Asprone, D., Salzano, A., Nicolella, M. (2022). Defining a Digital Strategy in a BIM environment to Manage Existing Reinforced Concrete Bridges in the Context of Italian Regulation. Sustainability, 14, 11767. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811767

Zhou, Z. (2022). An Intelligent Bridge Management and Maintenance Model Using BIM Technology. Mobile Information Systems, 2022, 7130546, 9 p. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7130546

Li, S., Zhang, Z., Lin, D., Zhang, T., Han, L. (2023). Development of a BIM-based bridge maintenance system (BMS) for managing defect data. Sci Rep 13, 846. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27924-6

Published
2025-08-27
How to Cite
GáspárL., ahmadD., & Bencze dr.Z. (2025). Sustainability in bridge management. Scientific Review of Transport, 75(4), 2-11. https://doi.org/10.24228/KTSZ.2025.4.1
Section
Articles