Optimal long-term infrastructure maintenance planning accounting for traffic dynamics

Periodic infrastructure maintenance is crucial for a safe and efficient transportation system. Numerous decision models for the maintenance planning problem have been proposed in the literature. However, to the best of our knowledge, no model exists that simultaneously accounts for traffic dynamics and is intended for long-term planning purposes. This article addresses this gap in the literature. A mixed-integer bi-level program is introduced that minimizes the long-term maintenance cost as well as the total system travel time. For the solution approach we utilize a genetic algorithm in conjunction with mesoscopic traffic simulation. The model is illustrated via a numerical example.