Condition Assessment

Some questions and answers on condition assessment.

1.0 What is condition assessment?

1. Condition assessment is the act to quantify the physical state at a given point of time

2.0 Why do we need condition assessment?

1. To have a clear knowledge of the asset condition and how they are performing
2. Prioritisation of maintenance programs especially budgeting purposes
3. Formulation of predictive failure mode or analytical mechanism
4. formulation of maintenance strategies

3.0 What is the main ingredients of a condition assessment?

There are basically 3 main ingredients of condition assessment that is:

1. planning
2. investigation
3. analysis

4.0 What is the details for para 3.0?

1. planning

i. Must prioritise based on:

1. criticality

2. type of asset

3. age of the asset

4. rate of deterioration

5. economic value of the asset

(source: international infrastructure management manual)

ii. Evaluate the cost benefit analysis of condition assessment

iii. Implement periodic reassessment of condition assessment plan\

- The condition assessment plan must be resources loaded

- and fulfill SMART

v. Establish tools such as:

1. Manual

2. Standard Operating Procedures

2. Investigation

i. assessment techniques

1. Industrial or governing standards

2. Manufacturer’s manual

3. In-house manuals

ii. Type of investigation

1. Desktop review

2. Visual

3. Test (either in-situ or laboratory testing)

iii. Time frame

- Periodic or non periodic

iv. Cost of the assessment

1. Cost of assessment will be governed by:

a. Depth of investigation,
b. Extent of coverage (units involved, locations etc)
c. Extent of data
d. Use of manpower – internal or external, equipments, machineries,
e. Availability of data (from public domain etc)

2. Budget

v. Data collection

1. In-situ or calculated

2. Automation or manual

3. Analysis

• Future economic benefits
• Failure analysis
• Grouping of assets according to condition rating or grading system
• Customised analysis based on current needs and assessment

5.0 What is the outcome of condition assessment?

• Facility condition index
• Residual life or future economic benefits
• Acquisition of new assets or replacement of assets
• Maintenance and operations plans and strategies
• Maintenance prioritisation
• Budgeting

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