It is a privilege to write this issue’s editorial. I have been an editorial board member of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) Infrastructure Asset Management international journal since 2013. During the decade that I have been an editorial board member, I have been impressed with the journal’s diversity of topics, perspectives and editorial board members. The editorial board of the Infrastructure Asset Management journal is comprised of highly qualified and experienced representatives, including from academia, industry and policymaking.
Infrastructure Asset Management is an industry-facing multi-disciplinary journal that publishes articles on emerging aspects of asset management. It publishes peer-reviewed papers related to types of civil infrastructure assets that are both in the public and private domains. It engages academics, researchers and industry practitioners to contribute new knowledge about practical solutions to current and future asset-management-related challenges.
The five papers in this issue of Infrastructure Asset Management explore technological, methodological and managerial attributes of infrastructural assets. These papers are important to academics, researchers, industry practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders. They cover evaluation, safety, guideline, benefit and control aspects of topics, such as: (i) the use of terrestrial laser scanning for pavement surface distress evaluation; (ii) the safety management of offshore structures; (iii) the creation of a project development guideline on economic and financial aspects of drinking water supply; (iv) the creation of a benefit- or value-based business model in robotic autonomous asset management; and (v) the control of fast-track construction method variables such as time, cost and quality.
The Infrastructure Asset Management journal places great emphasis on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is evident in how papers in this issue highlight UN SDGs 6, 9 and 11, which relate to ‘Clean water and sanitation’, ‘Industry, innovation and infrastructure’ and ‘Sustainable cities and communities’, respectively.
In this issue’s first paper, Ahmed et al. (2023) explore the use of terrestrial laser scanning for pavement surface distress evaluation. The paper highlights that the most used method for evaluating the severity of pavement distresses is the manual measurement of surface distresses. However, it also highlights that such a manual method has low accuracy and is inconsistent. This paper’s study observed that, alternatively, a terrestrial laser scanner could be used effectively for safer and more accurate surface distress measurement.
In the second paper, Houri and Sadeghi (2023) explore the safety management of offshore structures. The paper highlights the process of optimising maintenance strategies for offshore structures by using reliability and risk assessment approaches. It also highlights the use of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely, evaluated and reviewed (Smarter) criteria for monitoring and evaluating the safety performance of offshore structures. The study shows that the Smarter criteria produced the most adequate safety system.
In the third paper, Badasyan et al. (2023) explore the creation of a project development guideline on economic and financial aspects of drinking water supply. They do so to provide an answer to the challenge of how water sector projects can be developed with private investments to deliver desired economic and social benefits to society. They do this by designing a cost–benefit analysis framework that can be instrumental in water sector project decision making and achievement of optimal economic and financial outcomes.
In the fourth paper, Bouch et al. (2023) explore the creation of a benefit- or value-based business model in robotic autonomous asset management. The paper highlights that value generation is an important factor regarding driving technological change. However, it also highlights that a lack of understanding appears to exist about what value to create, and when, why and how value accrues to stakeholders. Therefore, this paper describes a methodology for identifying benefit- and value-generating opportunities that can be used to aid business model creation.
In the fifth paper, El-Far et al. (2023) explore the control of fast-track construction method variables such as time, cost and quality. The paper highlights that fast-track construction projects that commence with inadequate design information have become more common in response to rising construction industry demand. Therefore, this paper developed a questionnaire to assess the success characteristics of fast-track construction. It highlights that it is preferable to use best percentage settings as a reference for completion of construction projects within the shortest time and with the highest quality and lowest cost.
I hope that you enjoy the variety and quality of papers in this issue that explore technological, methodological and managerial attributes of infrastructural assets. If you are interested in contributing a paper to this journal, then this can be done by way of the Infrastructure Asset Management journal website (https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/toc/jinam/current), where you can submit papers for general or themed issues.
