Life Cycle Management of Port Structures. Recommended practice for implementation

___________Objectives of the Report_____________ The intention of this report is to supplement the "general principles" into recommendations and guidance for implementation to port structures. Port authorities are interested in the behaviour of the civil engineering elements of port infrastructure, particularly with respect to the financial, technical, safety and environmental decisions to be taken during the life-time of the structures. It therefore follows that to avoid unexpected largescale rehabilitation measures and costly downtimes as a consequence of neglected periodic maintenance, a systematic planning and budgeting of maintenance activities is necessary. LCM, and its precursor Whole Life Costing, will contribute to a realistic approach of maintenance policy, including decision-making, planning, budgeting and funding of inspection and repair activities during the life-time of port structures. The report focuses on LCM of port infrastructure such as wharves, quays jetties and breakwaters. Roads and buildings, as well as dredging associated with the structures, and port equipment such as cranes are excluded in the report, however similar principles will and frequently are used with respect to them. It cannot be over-emphasised that whilst the ideal is to set up LCM at the planning stage for a new project, it can be implemented at any time during a facility's lifetime for the remainder of its working life. It can also be used for a specific part of a facility, although in this case it is to be hoped that once the benefits are seen, LCM would be rapidly extended to cover all infrastructure in the port. _______________ Structure of the Report ________________ This report begins with an overview of LCM, which includes the necessary definitions of life cycles and performance criteria, description of the LCM process, the Whole Life Cost and Multi Criteria analysis .Chapter 3 includes a practical example for a container terminal. Chapter 4 covers the area of maintenance management following completion or refurbishment of a facility. Some references are listed in Chapter 5 to enable interested readers further their knowledge in the various aspects of the subject. The Appendices present: · Performance criteria and measure to enhance performance · The LCM approach to decide on the berth depth to be provided along a new quay · The LCM approach to decide on immediate or postponed investment for a new quay · A case where LCM was implemented for decisions on renewal of an existing quay in Rotterdam. · The Questionnaire and results. This Questionnaire has been sent to ports all over the world in order to assess the degree to which port structures are managed from an LCM point of view, if at all. The outcome of the Questionnaire has been a useful help by preparing the report.