Life-cycle and total cost analysis of bridge expansion joints

The consequences of inadequate consideration of the long-term performance of a bridge's expansion joints, and of their exchangeability when the time inevitably comes to replace them, can be severe. A high-quality, properly selected and designed joint may provide good service for 40 years or more, while a cheaper alternative, selected primarily with a view to minimising short-term construction costs, is likely to require replacement much earlier. Maintenance and repair effort during this shorter service life are also likely to be higher. And the cost of maintenance and replacement works, considering both direct costs and the indirect costs to society of disruption to traffic, may amount to many times the initial saving in purchase costs of the original expansion joint. Recognition of this can help minimise the life-cycle costs of a bridge's expansion joints for the benefit of owners, users and society.