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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance

COMMITTEE ON MEASURING AND IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE PERFORMANCE

BOARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENT

COMMISSION ON ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SYSTEMS

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
1995

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.

This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Robert M. White is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and of advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Robert M. White are chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.

Funding for the project was provided through the following contract with the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers, Contract No. DACW72-93-C-004.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95-68207

International Standard Book Number: 0-309-05098-7

Additional copies of this report are available from:
National Academy Press
2101 Constitution Avenue, NW Box 285 Washington, D.C. 20055 800-624-6242 or 202-334-3313 (in the Washington Metropolitan area)

Copyright 1995 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

COMMITTEE ON MEASURING AND IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE PERFORMANCE

JARED L. COHON, Chair, Dean,

School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

W. BRUCE ALLEN, Professor of Public Policy and Management,

The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

L. G. (GARY) BYRD, Consulting Engineer,

Alexandria, Virginia

RANDALL W. EBERTS, Executive Director,

W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, Michigan

HUGH ELLIS,

Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

HAROLD T. GLASER, Vice President,

Montgomery Watson, Pasadena, California

GARETH M. GREEN, Associate Dean for Professional Education and Director, Master of Public Health Programs,

Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

FRANNIE HUMPLICK, Infrastructure Economist,

The World Bank, Washington, D.C.

ELLIS L. JOHNSON, Professor of School of Industry and Systems Engineering,

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

LANCE A. NEUMANN, President,

Cambridge Systematics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts

VIET NGO, P.E., President,

Lemna Corporation, Mendota Heights, Minnesota

SERGIO RODRIGUEZ, AICP, Assistant City Manager,

Planning, Building and Zoning Department, City of Miami, Florida

GEORGE ROWE, Consultant,

Cincinnati, Ohio

KENNETH I. RUBIN, President,

Apogee Research Inc., Bethesda, Maryland

IRAJ ZANDI, Professor of Systems and National Center Professor of Resource Management and Technology,

Department of Systems, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Sponsor Liaisons

EUGENE Z. STAKHIV, Chief,

Policy Division, Institute for Water Resources, Fort Belvoir, Virginia

JAMES F. THOMPSON, JR., Analyst,

Engineers Strategic Studies Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

Other Government Liaisons

KEN CHONG, Director,

Structural Systems and Construction Processes, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia

CHARLES W. NEISSNER, Research Highway Engineer,

Office of Advanced Research, Federal Highway Administration, McLean, Virginia

JOHN B. SCALZI, Program Director for Structures and Building Systems,

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia

JOHN SMART, Chief,

Civil Engineering Division, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado

Staff

ANDREW C. LEMER, Director

SUSAN COPPINGER, Administrative Assistant

SUSAN MORGAN, Administrative Assistant

MARY McCORMACK, Project Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

BOARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENT (SINCE 1994)

GEORGE BUGLIARELLO, Chair, Chancellor,

Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, New York

CATHERINE BROWN, Director of Special Projects,

Design Center for American Urban Landscape, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

NANCY RUTLEDGE CONNERY, Consultant,

Public Works Infrastructure, Woolwich, Maine

LLOYD A DUSCHA, Consulting Engineer,

Reston, Virginia

ALBERT A. GRANT, Consulting Engineer,

Potomac, Maryland

E. R. HEIBERG III, Consultant,

Mason Neck, Virginia

RONALD W. JENSEN, Public Works Director,

City of Phoenix, Arizona

JAMES K. MITCHELL, Charles E. Via, Jr., Professor of Civil Engineering,

Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg

HAROLD J. P MELEE, President,

Turner Construction Company, New York, New York

STANLEY W. SMITH, Consultant,

McLean, Virginia

RAYMOND L. STERLING, Shimizu Professor of Civil and Mineral Engineering, Director,

Underground Space Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Staff

DENNIS CHAMOT, Director

HENRY A. BORGER, Executive Secretary,

Federal Construction Council

SUSAN COPPINGER, Administrative Assistant

LENA B. GRAYSON, Program Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

BUILDING RESEARCH BOARD (1993-1994)

HAROLD J. PARMELEE, Chair, President,

Turner Construction Company, New York, New York

LYNN S. BEEDLE, University Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering and Director,

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

CATHERINE BROWN, Director of Special Projects,

Design Center for American Urban Landscape, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

NANCY RUTLEDGE CONNERY, Consultant,

Woolwich, Maine

AUGUSTINE A. DiGIACOMO, Partner,

Jaros, Baum, and Bolles, Consulting Engineers, New York, New York

DELON HAMPTON,

Delon Hampton & Associates, Washington, D.C.

DONALD G. ISELIN,

U.S.N. Retired,

Consultant,

Santa Barbara, California

GARY T. MOORE, Professor of Architecture and Director,

Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

WALTER P. MOORE, President and Chairman of the Board,

Walter P. Moore and Associates, Inc., Houston, Texas

J. W. MORRIS,

U.S.A. Retired,

President,

J. W. Morris Ltd., Arlington, Virginia

BRIAN P. MURPHY, Senior Vice President,

Prudential Property Company, Prudential Plaza, Newark, New Jersey

JEROME J. SINCOFF,

American Institute of Architects,

President,

Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri

Staff

ANDREW C. LEMER, Director (1988-1993)

HENRY A. BORGER, Executive Secretary,

Federal Facilities Council

LENA B. GRAYSON, Program Assistant

MARY McCORMACK, Project Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

LIST OF FIGURES

ES-1

 

Performance assessment as a generic process,

 

8

2-1

 

Dimensions of effectiveness link to objectives infrastructure is to achieve,

 

39

3-1

 

Performance assessment as a generic process,

 

48

3-2

 

General context of performance assessment,

 

49

3-3

 

Stakeholders in performance assessment in infrastructure providers perspective,

 

50

3-4

 

Performance assessment within the decision-making process,

 

55

4-1

 

General framework of performance measures,

 

60

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
×

LIST OF TABLES

ES-1

 

Summary of Principal Findings and Conclusions,

 

3

ES-2

 

Summary of Recommendations,

 

4

ES-3

 

Framework and Measures of System Inventory,

 

9

ES-4

 

Framework and Measures of System Effectiveness,

 

12

ES-5

 

Examples of Measures of System Reliability,

 

17

ES-6

 

Examples of Measures of System Cost,

 

17

2-1

 

Illustrative Measures of Infrastructure Performance, as presented by the National Council on Public Works Improvement,

 

34

4-1

 

Framework and Measures of System Inventory,

 

62

4-2

 

Framework and Measures of System Effectiveness,

 

68

4-3

 

Examples of Measures of System Reliability,

 

73

4-4

 

Examples of Measures of System Cost,

 

73

4-5

 

Example of Performance Measurement,

 

80

6-1

 

Summary of Principal Findings and Conclusions,

 

96

6-2

 

Summary of Recommendations,

 

97

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1996. Measuring and Improving Infrastructure Performance. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/4929.
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The nation's physical infrastructure facilitates movement of people and goods; provides safe water; provides energy when and where needed; removes wastes; enables rapid communications; and generally supports our economy and quality of life. Developing a framework for guiding attempts at measuring the performance of infrastructure systems and grappling with the concept of defining good performance are the major themes of this book. Focusing on urban regions, within a context of national policy, the volume provides the basis for further in-depth analysis and application at the local, regional, state, and national levels.

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