NBI Optimizer® is a unique software that provides rich analytics and optimization capabilities tailored to meet the needs of U.S. federal, state, and local transportation agencies. The software implements the industry’s most advanced algorithms to support optimal network-level long-term preservation planning. The algorithms include inductive multi-variate deterioration modeling, quantitative and dynamic risk assessment and asset prioritization, and multi-objective optimization. NBI Optimizer® offers a rich feature set unparalleled by any other software in the market today.
Comprehensive NBI Data Repository
NBI Optimizer® maintains a centralized high-performance data repository that stores NBI data for the entire U.S. bridge inventory since 1992. The database can also store available element inspection data based on the new edition of the AASHTO manual. NBI Optimizer® offers a rich set of advanced analytics features that leverages the rich NBI data to provide bridge managers with unique capabilities and deeper understanding of bridge performance and historical patterns. The software provides advanced data management services such as data security, access control, and replication, and supports import/export functions from/to virtually all commonly used formats
Cloud-Based SaaS Application
NBI Optimizer® Software as a Service (SaaS) application offers bridge managers access to comprehensive analytics functions, reports, maps, dashboards, preservation plans, and documents. IDS offers flexible licensing and pricing options subscription plans for NBI Optimizer’s high-performance high-availability and secure cloud services that can be accessed anytime from anywhere using a web browser. Special pricing is available for U.S. federal, state, and local transportation agencies.
Advanced Data Analytics & Dashboards
NBI Optimizer® database can be efficiently queried using a user-friendly Query Builder. Bridge groups can be easily created, stored, and analyzed. Bridge managers can use context-rich charting functions (boxplots, scatter plots, histograms, and pie charts) to efficiently investigate relationships and historical patterns embedded in the NBI database. Queries and charts can be created for individual bridges, group of bridges, or the entire inventory. Historical data trends can be identified using linear, polynomial, or exponential curve fitting functions. Dashboards can be used to share collections of important charts and tables created by the analytics functions. Two dashboards can be used: one to store NBI data analysis charts and tables, and the second to store charts and tables of the preservation planning results, if available.
Geospatial Data Integration
NBI Optimizer® links bridge locations with Google Map® and Street View®. Users can easily create, save, and share map layers of any group of bridges, based on NBI data attributes or preservation plans. If bridge longitude/latitude values are not defined accurately, users can easily edit/correct the bridge location by simply moving a marker on the map. Users can also measure length and surface areas, and retrieve elevations directly from the map. Future versions of NBI Optimizer will also support integration with ArcGIS.
NBI Reports & Document Management
Bridge managers can easily search for bridges based on any NBI attribute and download current or past NBI reports on any bridge since 1992. Documents related to any bridge can also be linked to the database and managed by NBI Optimizer®. Alternatively, a link between NBI Optimizer and an agency’s document management system (e.g., SharePoint) can be established. Users can easily upload, download, delete, and view any bridge-related document such as inspection reports, spreadsheets, DGN/DWG drawings, photos, etc.
Optimized Plans & Detailed Trade-off Analysis
NBI Optimizer® allows users to investigate a range of planning scenarios, including: (1) scenarios to evaluate the impact of funding levels on system-level condition and risk measures; and (2) scenarios to evaluate funding requirements to achieve desired condition/risk objectives. For each scenario, NBI Optimizer generates optimal and feasible project lists, on annual basis. Selected projects satisfy all defined constraints and are guaranteed to be optimal. Similar to Bridge Optimizer™, NBI Optimizer also maintains a comprehensive database of bridge preservation methods, and a set of customizable applicability constraints and formulae for calculating costs and benefits. Trade-off analysis of various scenarios provides bridge engineers with rich analytics tools (e.g., queries, charting functions, etc.) to quantitatively assess the consequences of various policies and scenarios on the condition and risk levels of individual bridges, bridge groups, or on the entire inventory. This analysis will help engineers make rational and evidence-based decisions to optimally allocate investments and determine the most cost-effective long-term preservation plan.
Multi-Variate Inductive Deterioration Modeling
NBI Optimizer® implements a revolutionary multi-variate inductive algorithm based on statistical learning theory and supervised learning techniques to predict future condition states of bridge elements and accurately represent the stochastic nature of the deterioration process. Unlike other approaches (such as Markov chain, survival analysis, or regression models) which assume that the deterioration process follows a “known” distribution function, our inductive algorithm does not assume any “prior” knowledge of the deterioration function and can efficiently account for the impact of a wide range parameters. Our deterioration modeling algorithm analyzes historical inspection data and correlates a range of independent physical and operational variables (e.g., age, traffic volume, design load, deck type, etc.) with condition and capacity degradation of bridge elements to automatically “infer” (or “learn”) the distribution function that most closely captures the relationship between these variables and the condition state of bridge elements.
Risk-Based Prioritization
NBI Optimizer® implements a unique risk-based prioritization algorithm that balances the need to address condition degradation of bridge elements (or likelihood of failure) and the consequence of failure (or criticality) by ranking bridges based on their potential “risk.” Risk is assessed to reflect bridges structural or functional inadequacy to meet desired performance levels. For each bridge, a “risk index” is calculated as the product of the consequence of failure and the likelihood of failure. Forecasted condition ratings are used as a proxy for the likelihood of failure. Consequence of failure is determined by evaluating a set of rules and weights that involve static or time-dependent risk factors (e.g., functional class, traffic volume, detour length, etc.). Calculated risk indices are then used to prioritize bridges to reflect urgency of preservation actions. Thresholds of the risk indices are used to indicate “relative” priority of bridges.
Customizable
NBI Optimizer® can be easily customized to reflect agency-specific preservation policies, planning constraints and scenarios, and various forms of presentations and reporting. NBI Optimizer can easily exchange data with Pontis or other software, including most commonly used GIS (ArcGIS or Geomedia), mobile bridge inspection systems, or document management systems.
