Technology transfer for safe and sustainable road bridge life cycle management in Myanmar

While the creation of new infrastructure has played an important role in Myanmar’s rapid economic growth, maintenance of the existing infrastructure is also necessary to ensure its continued safe development. The objective of this paper is to clarify the current practices and technologies for the maintenance and life cycle management of road bridges in Myanmar by reporting and analyzing the results of a series of surveys carried out with Myanmar’s Ministry of Construction. It was found that the maintenance cycle in Myanmar is not fully functional, as there are no standardized methods for inspection and repair, and the results of the inspections are not recorded in a database. However, efforts are under way to prepare a comprehensive manual for road bridges, and a database is being developed as part of a Japanese capacity development project. Analysis of technology transfer activities for maintenance found that the mismatch in conditions between Japan and Myanmar made it difficult to adapt the knowledge acquired in training programs to the local conditions. Furthermore, low awareness of maintenance and an inadequate maintenance budget also hinder opportunities to practice maintenance activities. To achieve sustainable transfer of maintenance technology, future activities should consider financial support for opportunities to acquire practical on-site maintenance experience in Myanmar.