Dealing with uncertainty in sewer condition assessment: Impact on inspection programs

Abstract

Sewer condition prediction is a fundamental element of proactive maintenance programs. The prediction relies mostly on the assessed condition of inspected segments, generally based on CCTV reports. However, several sources of uncertainty affect the condition assessment and may lead to inefficient maintenance. The present article focuses on three main questions. 1. What is the impact of uncertainty in assessed condition on the prediction model? 2. Considering uncertainties in the assessed condition, is it necessary to collect data on the characteristics of many segments, or are a small number of influential variables enough to build the condition prediction model? 3. Is it better to overestim..