Cost at Element Level

Pontis is a bridge management system that performs a network level analysis suggesting specific bridge repair/retrofit projects for projected deterioration and budgets. However, Pontis is not a project level analysis that specifies the design or process of constructing a repair/new build. The Pontis cost associated with the suggested repair/retrofit is not designed to represent the specific real-life cost of a suggested repair/retrofit. This paper documents research in parametric cost engineering to provide a comprehensive approach for a total project cost evaluation. A review of the treatment of structural elements from the bridge cost component of the Parametric Cost Engineering System is provided herein and compared with the methodology of Pontis. The writers recommend that the methodology of Pontis for a network level analysis be augmented by a project level analysis utilizing parametric cost engineering to evaluate the repair/new build cost of bridge treatments. The writers' parametric recommendation is described herein.