Integration of Infrastructure with the Society in the Operation Phase: A Multiple Case Study Approach

The later stages of an infrastructure project occupy a significant period of its lifecycle. Even though majority of the expenses for the project are in the construction phase, the value for the society is realized only in the operation phase. Projects are often remembered for how they serve the community in the later stages more than their efficiency during the construction phase due to its long lifecycle. There is a need to understand how projects integrate with the society after its construction, especially considering the inability of the planners to create a design considering all future scenarios. In the proposed research, we employ a multiple case study research considering the Oresund bridge connecting Denmark with Sweden and the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. We observe how during the operation phase the infrastructure acts as an enabler, adapt to changing needs of the society, and diversify its impacts. This study has significant implications to society as it explores how to extract value from already constructed infrastructure assets.