The Maintenance Analysis window is comprised of the following tabs:

  • The Setup tab: This tab is where you insert new scenarios and enter scenario set-up information. Alternately, you can select an existing scenario to edit and run.
  • The Results tab: This tab shows how the percentage of defect elements in good condition are changed by the analysis.
  • The Constr. Results tab: This tab shows how the quantity and cost of defect activities are affected by the analysis.

Setup Tab

The Setup tab is where you set the parameters for a maintenance analysis. This tab contains the Scenarios pane on the left side, a Constraints pane on the upper right, and a Reporting Functions pane on the lower right. These panes are described below.

Scenarios Pane

The Scenarios pane is where you create a scenario by specifying the parameters for the analysis. You can also run existing scenarios or delete scenarios that you no longer need.

This pane contains the following fields:

  • Analysis Scope: This read-only field shows the data elements that are included in the optimization. The scope is set with the Edit Scope command.
  • Analysis Type: This is the type of analysis to be performed. It can be one of the following:
    • Estimate Based on Plan: The goal of this type of analysis is to determine what will be required to achieve the LOS program created in the Desired LOS Plan window. This type of analysis uses the work plan type selected in the Work Plan Type field. Since the LOS goal in the work plan already contains the objective and constraints, you do not need to use the Constraints pane. If a defect has no goal in the Setup Desired LOS Plan window, then the current level of service is maintained for that defect.
    • Multi-constraint Optimization: The goal of this type of analysis is to determine what will be required to achieve the objective under certain constraints, all of which are given in the Constraints pane.
  • Defect Survey Year: This column provides the year when the defect survey was performed.
  • Fiscal Year – This column provides the year from which performance guidelines are taken.
  • Fiscal Year for Accomplishments: This column provides the year that will be used for work order data.
  • Has Results: This check box indicates if the optimization has already been run. When a check mark is not displayed, then the results information shown in the other tabs is irrelevant.
  • Interest Rate: Optionally, a value can be included for the rate of inflation over the analysis period. The value must be entered as a decimal. For example, 3% is entered as 0.03: not 3.
  • Inventory Year: This column provides the year that will be used for equipment and materials data.
  • Maint Index: This column shows the maintenance index that is to be maximized during analysis. The maintenance index is selected from a drop-down list that contains the maintenance indices established in the Setup Indices window.
  • Make LP File: When this check box is selected, an LP optimization definition file is generated and will be available for inspection after the analysis is run. This file format is somewhat easier to read than the standard MPS file format. Note that the LP-format file is only generated for user inspection; the MPS-format file is always passed to the solver. This check box must be selected if you want to use the Download LP File command.
  • Number of Nodes in Solution: This field sets the maximum number of decision nodes passed into the Integer Solver. This is accomplished by running a heuristic search algorithm prior to running the solver that eliminates decision nodes that are unlikely to change during the actual Integer Programming optimization. A value of 0 passes all nodes to the solver. See Number of Nodes in Solution for more information.
  •  Round Cost: This field causes the system to round the cost of projects to the selected rounding value before submitting the project to the solver engine. The greater the rounding, the faster the solver will converge on a solution.
  • Scenario Name: This is a short description of the scenario. This description should be informative to other users.
  • Scenario Number: This is a sequential number automatically assigned to identify the scenario. It cannot be edited.
  • Note: To find a particular scenario, enter the scenario number in the field at the top of the pane and select the Find Scenario button.
  • Send Email Notifications?: When this check box is selected, the system will send an email when the scenario finishes. The system sends the email to the email address of the logged-on user as configured in the User Names and Access window.
  • Solver Time Limit (s): This field sets the maximum amount of time (in seconds) that the analysis will be allowed to run before settling on a solution. (In some analyses, many optimal solutions are available and the routine will "hunt" between each solution without settling on one and ending. Since these solutions are only marginally different than one another, forcing the routine to finish by setting the maximum amount of time that it can "hunt" is necessary and appropriate.)
  • Work Plan Type: This field provides a drop-down list of all available work plans.

This pane contains the following right-click shortcut menu commands:

  • Copy Scenario: This command allows you to copy the current scenario, which can then be pasted into another scenario to create a new one.
  • Download MPS File: This command allows you to store on your local computer a copy of the MPS-formatted file that is the input to the solver.
  • Download LP File: This command allows you to store on your local computer a copy of the LP-formatted file. (The LP-formatted file will only be created if the Make LP File check box is selected.)
  • Edit Scope: This command allows you to set the analysis scope for the analysis. Analysis scope allows you to limit the data elements included in the analysis. When you execute this command, the application displays a new window. This window shows the variables that can be used to limit the scope of the analysis. You use this window in the same way as the Filter window. (The variables are designated (and can be changed) in the Setup PMS Analysis Columns window.) After setting the analysis scope, the selected elements are shown in the Analysis Scope field.
  • Run Scenario: This command executes the displayed optimization.

Constraints Pane

Note: The constraints shown in the drop-down list in the Constraint column are those columns with a check mark in the Is Constraint check box in the Setup MMS Columns window.

Each analysis requires one objective and one or more constraints. The Constraints pane allows you to configure the objective and constraints for the scenario. The objective and the constraints are selected from the drop-down list in the Constraint column, with the objective being differentiated from the constraints by clicking the Is Objective check box in the objective's record.

When you right-click this pane, the following special commands are available along with the common commands:

  • Activate Constraint Subdivisions: This command inserts records for each of the constraint subdivisions into which the selected constraint is subdivided as configured in the Setup Constraint Subdivisions window.

Reporting Functions Pane

Aside from the objective and constraints configured in the Constraints pane, you can want to know how other indices are affected by the analysis. You can therefore enter in this pane other indices that will not affect the analysis to see how they change as a result of the analysis.

When you right-click this pane, the following special commands are available along with the common commands:

  • Activate Constraint Subdivisions: This command inserts records for each of the constraint subdivisions into which the selected constraint is subdivided as configured in the Setup Constraint Subdivisions window.

Results Tab

For the scenario selected in the Scenario tab, this tab shows how the quality of each defect is changed by the analysis. The defects are arranged by district and functional class. For each defect, the Scenario Cost column shows the current (that is, pre-analysis) dollar amount needed to achieve the percentage shown in the Pct Good column (which shows the percentage of defect elements in good condition: that is, a condition where activities to remedy the defect are not required). The Result Grade column shows the new percentage of defect elements in good condition as a result of the analysis, while the Budget (Estimated Cost) column shows the new dollar amount needed to achieve the new percentage.

Note: Some implementations include a Result Utility Grade column with values that are different than those in the Result Grade column. This column shows the translation of the raw percentage shown in the Result Grade column into a value that better reflects the grading scale used by a particular agency. The translation is defined in the Setup Analysis Defects window.

If the activities to remedy the defect are included in a work plan, the In MWP check box will be selected.

Constr. Results Tab

The Constr. Results tab shows how defect activities are changed by the analysis. The Scenario Cost column shows the new amount of money to be spent on an activity and the Scenario % Change indicates how this new amount differs from the current amount. Finally, the Scenario Quantity column shows how much of the activity will be performed after the analysis.

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