Key Principles of Asset Management in Infrastructure

Definition of Asset Management:

“systematic and coordinated activities and practices through which an organization optimally and sustainably manages its assets and asset systems, their associated performance, risks and expenditures over their life cycles for the purpose of achieving its organizational strategic plan”

The Key Principles of Asset Management

Holistic: multi-disciplinarity rather than a compartmentalized approach, looking at combined implications of managing all aspects of the problem, the combination of different asset types, the functional interdependencies and contributions of assets within asset systems, and the different asset life cycle phases and activities that need to be considered. Look at the big picture of assets.

· Example: a rail infrastructure line from A to B may have bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, and other structures, hence maintenance regimes should be carried out in the locations of the line where multiple repairs are required hence looking at the interdependencies of improving the network

Systematic: methodical approach leading to consistent, repeatable, and auditable decisions. An effective management system that decisions making is done with data considered and decisions could be made again on the same parameters of data.

· Example: collect water linkage data of pipes or stress cycles on bridges and be able to accurately make decisions on when the asset needs repair

Systemic: considering asset system rather than individual assets in isolation (asset system optimization through sustainable performance and risks instead of just improving one asset but improving the whole system.

· Example: look how improving a number of bridges, eg increasing the capacity can improve traffic flow of a motorway instead of thinking just of individual assets as a motorway is a long dependent network, depending on many assets to function properly.

Risk-based: considering risks in decision-making and liabilities when making decisions

Optimal: best value between completing factors (proportionality of performance/cost/risk – which are not directly proportional) optimizing the long and short term of the life cycle of assets. As if cost is increased risk is reduced but an optimal solution for those three should be made.

Sustainable: considering the long-term consequences of short-term activities to ensure there are addictive provisions for requirements such as economic, system performance, or social responsibility

Integrated: combination and coordination of the above attributes – interdependencies of all assets in the asset system and the above aspects should be coordinated to deliver the best value through the asset management

Importance of asset information systems:

1. Combination of data of physical assets used to inform decisions, such as replacement and maintenance regimes

2. Location

3. Condition

4. Probability

5. Consequences of failure

6. Constraints

7. Business priorities

8. Regulatory requirements

9. What information is included:

· Asset register (type of asset, age, capacity, drawings, photographs)

· GIS (location, spatial, connectivity, interdependencies)

· Work management systems (historical information of previous inspections)

· Logistics systems

· Shutdown/outage management systems

· Demand management systems (demand forecast of assets in the future)

· Decision support tools (investment strategy systems of how much money to spend)

· Condition monitoring systems (stress sensors)

· Mobile working devices (reduces paperwork, fast information transfer)

Asset management system components as per ISO 55000

• Context of the organization

· Understanding the needs and expectations of stakeholders such as criteria for asset management decision making, requirements for recording financial and non-financial information

· Determining the scope of the asset management system, defining the asset portfolio covered in the scope of the asset management system

· Continuously improve the asset management system

• Leadership

· Ensuring that asset management policy and the SAMP are established with compatibility with the organization's objectives

· Integration of SAMP to organization business processes

· Promoting continual improvement

· Policy, provide a framework for setting asset management objectives

· Organisational roles, responsibilities, and authorities

• Planning

· Actions to address risks and opportunities for the asset management system, by preventing, or reducing undesired effects

· Asset management objectives

· Planning to achieve asset management objectives

• Support

· Resources

· Competence

· Awareness

· Communication, when, whom, and how to communicate

· Information requirements, roles, and responsibilities

· Documented information (control of documented info)

• Operation

· Operational planning and control

· Management of change

· Outsourcing

• Performance evaluation

· Monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation

· Internal audit

· Management review

• Improvement

· Nonconformity and corrective action

· Preventive action

· Continual improvement