Two railway tracks intersecting

Data driven condition reporting, long term planning and forecasting model for infrastructure asset management

Consistent and comprehensive evaluation and CAPEX/OPEX forecasting for a heterogenous asset portfolio including energy supply/transmission, engineering structures and control systems

Our client is their country's primary railway infrastructure manager with a 50+ BEUR asset portfolio comprising engineering structures, energy distribution and supply systems as well as control and communications systems. AFRY helped them introduce our own MIAM method for comprehensive and consistent asset portfolio evaluation, modelling and forecasting, aiding cost savings, streamlined asset management as well as securing a >60% increase in public investment.

Our client, a European national railway infrastructure manager with a 50 BEUR+ asset portfolio, required a transparent and comprehensive approach to evaluate and report infrastructure condition. The portfolio contained a wide variety of ca. 70 different asset types ranging from engineering structures such as bridges or railway trackage to power supply and transmission systems as well as computerized and relay-based control systems.

The objective was to introduce a strategic asset management method that would, based on asset data, evaluate assets and consolidate results into work and funding need forecasts. These needed to be transparent and consistent so that the needs can be argued and explained during national funding negotiations with the government and withstand intense scrutiny from auditors, as well as drive the internal strategic planning process.

Diagram of the MIAM strategic asset management model
The MIAM strategic asset management model

Based on research and review of best practices across Europe, the client asked AFRY to introduce our MIAM method for strategic asset management. This approach is in operation at various infrastructure managers, driving strategic decision-making on 800 BEUR+ of assets across our clients. With this method, assets are evaluated individually and the results are expressed as grades that can be interpreted easily and consistently across all assets types. These grades indicate the urgency of asset renewal and can be consolidated to any hierarchy level, e.g. asset clusters, lines, regions or any combination of these dimensions.

Through the course of the 5-year project, AFRY introduced our own MIAM strategic asset management software suite, integrating it with client EAM systems, trained client staff, mapped the entire portfolio including asset-type specific evaluation parameters, introduced data driven concepts as well as introduced new processes for a digitalized asset management organisation.

Good top-level decisions are based on integrated approaches turning data from the entire portfolio into insights

AFRY's MIAM method for strategic asset management Arrow pointing right

Once introduced, AFRY's own MIAM method and software suite enabled the client to evaluate and report their portfolio condition transparently and derive fundings needs in an easily understandable way suitable for high level, non-technical, top-level decision makers. Full transparency and top-to-bottom drill-down capability helped build trust and commitment in the results of the method.

Condition distribution and asset value Arrow pointing right
Bar graph of condition distribution and asset value
Condition distribution and asset value
A single point of truth Arrow pointing right
Illustration of single point of truth for modelling assets
The method creates a single point of truth

Ultimately, the MIAM method is now used as a comprehensive strategic asset management tool, driving renewal and maintenance planning of the asset portfolio, control and follow up for executed maintenance executed as well as long term financing planning and national funding negotiations. One key achievement of the client using the MIAM method was multiple funding increases, including a 60%+ increase in available CAPEX, after proving that this was needed to return the infrastructure to a long-term sustainable condition.

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Project facts

  • Client and project name are confidential.
  • AFRY introduced strategic asset management and condition evaluation for a 50 BEUR portfolio.
  • AFRY helped our client achieve a 60% funding increase through the transparent and objective analysis method.