ASTM E3210-20

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E3210 − 19 E3210 − 20
Standard Practice for
Infrastructure Management
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3210; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Infrastructure disasters in Flint, Michigan (contamination of a water distribution system); London,
England (highly flammable cladding material installed on a high rise building exterior, beyond the
reach of firefighting equipment); and Miami, Florida (concrete of uncertain integrity placed above an
in-use highway) suggest infrastructure management needs a more rigorous approach. In each case,
people who lack professional competency for the potential impact of their actions made decisions that
were not properly reviewed by an authority whose duty is to assure human safety. This practice
establishes a standard process whereby an organization providing one or up to 15 types of
infrastructure asset services (for example, water supply, housing, bridges, and roadways) engages with
the community thereby served to assess the quality and frequency of those services through
quantitative metrics (compared against benchmarks), so as to support a capital expenditure and
operations, maintenance, monitoring, and repair plan such that those services (including disaster
prevention) continuously improve.
1. Scope
1.1 This asset management practice establishes requirements of transparency and accountability for an assemblage of tangible
and intangible infrastructure asset systems for a public or private organization.
1.2 This practice promotes the life safety-prioritized and cost efficacious delivery of 15 types of infrastructure assets to
infrastructure asset service recipients. These services include direct uses (for example, water supply or police protection) and
indirect uses (for example, preventing adverse impacts on the environment while minimizing nature’s adverse impacts on
infrastructure assets).
1.3 This practice may be used as the basis for training guides for infrastructure asset system employees and operators.
1.4 This practice provides an acceptability framework for 15 systems of infrastructure assets, including (1) potable water supply,
(2) food systems, (3) sewage and storm water systems, (4) buildings, (5) healthcare, (6) security, (7) power, (8) communication,
(9) transit and travel, (10) waste disposal, (11) education, (12) cultural heritage, (13) recreation and entertainment, (14) nature, and
(15) financial systems.
1.5 This practice is composed of the following sections: referenced documents; terminology; significance and use; planning and
scoping; integrated infrastructure system management process; and infrastructure system reporting and documentation.
1.6 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
standard.
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.8 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E53 on Asset Management and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E53.07 on Sustainable Property
Management.
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2019July 1, 2020. Published December 2019July 2020. Originally approved in 2019. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as E3210–19.
DOI: 10.1520/E3210–19.10.1520/E3210-20.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E3210 − 20
TABLE 1 Infrastructure System Report for 202x
Basic Infrastructure List
Integrated Fiscal Administration Management System Factors
Less Capital
OutlaysImprovement
Practice E3210 Maximum Interest Paid
A
Infrastructure Type ASCE Scored Golden Rule Condition Revenue
B
Score for Capital
than AllocatedCapital
C
Outlay
1 - Potable water supply X
3 - Sewage and storm water X
4 - Buildings X
5 - Healthcare X
8 - Communication X
9 - Transit and travel X
10 - Waste disposal X
A
In accordance with 3.1.27; e + b > x.
B
In accordance with 3.1.43; z >< 1.25 c – d.
C
In accordance with 3.1.40; c >< w.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E2453 Practice for Estimating the Life-Cycle Cost of Ownership of Property Assets
E2876 Guide for Integrating Sustainable Objectives into Cleanup
E3033 Guide for Beneficial Use of Landfills and Chemically Impacted Sites
E3123 Guide for Recognition and Derecognition of Environmental Liabilities
E3136 Guide for Climate Resiliency in Water Resources
2.2 Other Standards:
ISO 37120 Sustainable cities and communities — Indicators for city services and quality of life
ISO 55000 Asset management — Overview, principles and terminology
10 CFR 436 Subpart A—Methodology and Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard—Many of the terms used in this practice have specific regulatory meanings
within existing federal, State, tribal, or local programs. The following terms are being defined to reflect their specific use in this
practice. The user should not assume that this terminology replaces existing regulatory terms or definitions. Where the terminology
or use of a term in this practice differs from an existing regulatory definition or use, the user should address these differences prior
to proceeding with infrastructure management.
3.1.1 acceptable, adj—the finding by the user of the practice that the scores for each type of infrastructure asset type under
review are improved since a prior assessment.
3.1.2 accountability, n—the preparation of an infrastructure system report and its release to recipients of the authority’s
infrastructure asset services.
3.1.3 advantageous incremental cost, n—the additional outlay for completing a portion of a whole capital improvement project
(for example, a phase) when the complete project cannot be afforded during the time period identified by the user. This cost
includes an appropriate uncertainty multiplier and a contingency cost for each infrastructure asset system project.
3.1.4 appropriate uncertainty multiplier, n—a factor that increases a project cost due to circumstances that are possible but
cannot be predicted (for example, extreme weather and other Acts of God, financial recession or depression, health epidemic or
pandemic, or civil riot; also known as “black swan” events).
3.1.5 assessment, n—the evaluation of one or more systems of infrastructure assets that is documented and made available to
the authority’s infrastructure asset service recipients, and includes revenues and outlays (and their relationships), and performance
scores of those infrastructure assets identified in Table 1, Table 2, or Table 3 as completed by the user.
3.1.6 asset, n—(1) anything owned having monetary value; (2) tangible or intangible items owned or controlled by the
authority’s organization that have probable economic benefits or use value, or both.
3.1.7 asset management, n—the integrated, multidisciplinary (that is, financial, economic, health and safety, ecological,
educational, architectural, and engineering) set of strategies for sustaining infrastructure assets and their systems.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
Available from U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Washington, DC 20401, https://www.govinfo.gov.
E3210 − 20
TABLE 2 Infrastructure System Report for 202x
Sustainable Infrastructure List
Integrated Fiscal Administration Management System Factors
Less Capital
OutlaysImprovement
Practice E3210 Maximum Interest Paid
A
Infrastructure Type ASCE Scored Golden Rule Condition Revenue
B
Score for Capital
than AllocatedCapital
C
Outlay
1 - Potable water supply X
2 - Food systems
3 - Sewage and storm water X
4 - Buildings X
5 - Healthcare X
6 - Security
7 - Power
8 - Communication X
9 - Transit and travel X
10 - Waste disposal X
11 - Education
12 - Cultural heritage
13 - Recreation and entertainment
14 - Nature
15 - Financial systems
A
In accordance with 3.1.27; e + b > x.
B
In accordance with 3.1.43; z >< 1.25 c – d.
C
In accordance with 3.1.40; c >< w.
TABLE 3 Infrastructure System Report for 202x
Custom Infrastructure List
Integrated Fiscal Administration Management System Factors
Less Capital
OutlaysImprovement
Practice E3210 Maximum Interest Paid
A
Infrastructure Type ASCE Scored Golden Rule Condition Revenue
B
Score for Capital
than AllocatedCapital
C
Outlay
1 - Potable water supply X
2 - Food systems
3 - Sewage and storm water X
4 - Buildings X
5 - Healthcare X
6 - Security
7 - Power
8 - Communication X
9 - Transit and travel X
10 - Waste disposal X
11 - Education
12 - Cultural heritage
13 - Recreation and entertainment
14 - Nature
15 - Financial systems
A
In accordance with 3.1.27; e + b > x.
B
In accordance with 3.1.43; z >< 1.25 c – d.
C
In accordance with 3.1.40; c >< w.
3.1.8 authority, n—the chief administrative officer of a unit of government or private sector organization who provides
infrastructure asset services to service recipients (for example, individuals, homeowners, public and private organizations, and
nature).
3.1.8.1 Discussion—
An authority may delegate tasks to subordinates who thereby speak and act for the authority during the period of delegation.
3.1.9 buildings, n—a tangible asset, any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
3.1.10 capital improvement debt retirement outlay (z)—outgoing periodic payment to retire capital expenditure debt.
3.1.10.1 Discussion—
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The “z” is the shorthand designation of this outlay in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System.
E3210 − 20
3.1.11 capital improvement fundsrevenue (c), n—incoming wealth originating with exogenous financial instruments (for
example, bonds, loans, grants, or credits) for the planning, design, and construction of either public or private sector
organization-supplied tangible infrastructure assets.
3.1.11.1 Discussion—
The “c” is the shorthand designation of these revenues in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System.
3.1.12 capital improvement project-related outlay outlay / exogenous wealth input (w)—outgoing wealth for the planning,
design, and construction of new or upgraded infrastructure asset systems.systems that originates from bonds, loans, grants, or
credits, that is, the origin of this outlay.
3.1.12.1 Discussion—
The “w” is the shorthand designation of these outlays in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System.
3.1.13 capital project-generated revenue (d)—incoming wealth associated with an infrastructure asset capital improvement,
including tolls and capture of the periodic increment of land value as a result of the improvement.
3.1.13.1 Discussion—
The “d” is the shorthand designation of these revenues in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System, and is used
by the authority to retire capital improvement debt (z).
3.1.14 communication, n—tangible assets including telephone, cable TV, internet, and other wireless systems for transmitting
voice, video, and other electronic data and installed along public easements and rights of way, using the electromagnetic spectrum
commons.
3.1.15 community engagement, n—the proactive reaching out to infrastructure asset service recipients of the authority so that
she/he can be transparent and accountable about infrastructure asset service anticipations and experiences, and the cost efficacy of
that provision.
3.1.16 contingency cost, n—an amount added to an estimate to allow for items, conditions, or events for which the state,
occurrence, or effect is uncertain and that experience shows will likely result, in aggregate, in additional costs.
3.1.16.1 Discussion—
There is always uncertainty (that is, risk) as to the precise content of all items in a cost estimate (for example, how work will be
performed, and what work conditions will be like when the project is executed). Cost contingency is identified when an estimator
is aware of the risk or can estimate probable costs, or both. The term does not include examples of ignorance, poor engineering,
or poor philosophy, or combinations thereof. The contingency allowance covers items of cost which are not known exactly at the
time of the estimate but which will occur on a statistical basis. Contingency cost excludes: (1) major scope changes such as changes
in end product specification, capacities, building sizes, and location of the asset or project; (2) extraordinary events such as major
strikes and natural disasters; (3) management reserves; and (4) escalation and currency effects.
3.1.17 continuous improvement, n—the recurring process of enhancing the quality or frequency, or both, of infrastructure asset
services by periodic assessment, scoring, and system change for each infrastructure asset type as described in this practice.
3.1.18 cost avoiding, v—taking measures to lower the cost of infrastructure asset services and avoid a waste of wealth,
including: scheduling activities to optimize labor workflow; just-in-time delivery of materials to avoid double handling and the
need to stockpile soil or other materials; rest, sanitation, and food facilities for labor to minimize their need to leave a jobsite; and
soil reuse to avoid disposal.
3.1.19 cost effıcacy, n—the measure of the cost of achieving a non-standard result that an authority and her/his infrastructure
asset service recipients desire (and agree was achieved) in contrast to the cost of pursuing a standard result.
3.1.20 cultural heritage, n—tangible assets including objects, locations, and natural geographic or geologic features associated
with the history, politics, or sociology, or combinations thereof, of people, whether indigenous or colonial, or of dominant or
non-dominant groupings.
3.1.21 document, n—information and its supporting media.
3.1.22 document, v—to gather, organize, craft (that is, present in a clear, comprehensive, and factual manner), and publish
information for infrastructure asset service recipient (for example, individuals, homeowners, and public and private organizations)
review.
E3210 − 20
3.1.23 education, n—intangible infrastructure asset type that includes: (1) all levels of primary, secondary, trade, graduate, and
post-graduate training and experience opportunity publicly provided; or (2) a private sector organization’s complement (or
substitution) of that publicly-provided training and experience opportunity, each provided by its respective authority.
3.1.24 extraordinary outlays (y), n—outgoing wealth expended for the periodic replacement and upkeep of capital infrastructure
assets; the complement of ordinary expenses (current services outlays (x)).
3.1.24.1 Discussion—
These outlays comprise the capital budget that includes the (w) capital improvement project-related outlays outlay and the (z)
capital improvement debt retirement outlays.outlay.
3.1.25 financial systems, n—intangible infrastructure asset type that includes mediate (e) and immediate (b) revenues for current
(ordinary) services outlays (x); and mediate (c) and mediate (d) revenues for capital improvement (extraordinary) outlays (y).
3.1.26 food systems, n—intangible infrastructure asset system type that concerns (for example) the issuing of permits for grocery
stores, public kitchens, green markets, food handling operations, and restaurant and food cart businesses; all factors associated with
bringing food to market (that is, crop production, transport, preservation, and storage); and food safety inspectors, operation of
laboratories for purity assurance, and professional certifications concerning the nutrient and non-nutrient chemical content of food
items and urban garden soil.
3.1.27 golden rule of government finance (a relationship)—keeping capital budget outlays ((w) and (z)) separate from current
asset service outlays (x) in an operating budget.
3.1.27.1 Discussion—
Involves the matching of current revenue ((e) and (b)) to spending on current services (x), but borrowing only to support capital
spending ((w) and (z)) and thereby maintaining the net worth of infrastructure asset systems. This is the condition when (e) + (b)
> (x). Although the phrase was coined to apply to public infrastructure asset management, the principle also applies to private
infrastructure asset management.
3.1.28 governance system, n—the methodology used by an authority to assure the establishment and maintenance of transparent
and accountable practices such that effective and equitable systems of infrastructure assets are provided to her/his service recipients
(individuals, homeowners, or public and private organizations, or combinations thereof); the use of this practice is an example of
a governance system.
3.1.29 government, n—a social, economic, military, or political, or combinations thereof, unit of management over a specified
geographic space, that is obligated to engage with infrastructure asset service recipients (individuals, homeowners, or public and
private organizations, or combinations thereof).
3.1.30 healthcare, n—intangible infrastructure assets associated with (but not necessarily limited to) hospitals, medical doctors,
physicians, mental health service providers (especially for homeless persons and at-risk youth), counselors, health agencies,
disease and poison control, ambulance services, and 911 operators that are publicly or privately provided, or franchised by local,
State, or federal governments.
3.1.31 immediate revenue (b), n—incoming wealth that originates from individuals rather than a public or a private
infrastructure asset services provider; the complement of mediate revenue (a).
3.1.31.1 Discussion—
The “b” is the shorthand designation of these funds in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System. This revenue
includes tax payments (of various kinds) by individuals (primarily used for current services outlays) but does not include individual
user fees, tolls, or penalties. This revenue (that may include tax increment financing revenue) may also be used by the authority
for retirement of capital improvement debt (z).
3.1.32 infrastructure, n—a tangible or intangible asset that comprises the means and methods of a public or private sector
organization in the provision of services that infrastructure asset service recipients (individuals, homeowners, or public and private
organizations, or combinations thereof) desire.
3.1.32.1 Discussion—
Infrastructure assets may belong to a government, even though a private entity operates and maintains tangible assets and systems
for that government. Such asset systems may be privately supplied through a public franchise and delivered through public
easements or rights of way, or both. In the latter case, the authority would be the head of a private sector organization.
E3210 − 20
3.1.33 infrastructure asset management, n—intentional actions planned, sequenced, and executed to continuously improve use
values of tangible and intangible assets with a minimum adverse impact on the environment while minimizing nature’s adverse
impact on those assets in collaboration with those who receive and benefit from asset services (that is, individuals, homeowners,
or public and private organizations, or combinations thereof).
3.1.34 infrastructure asset service, n—the existence or use value of a tangible or intangible asset, or both.
3.1.35 infrastructure system report, n—the final product of the authority following completion of an evaluation cycle of this
practice, that is certified by a professional engineer (PE) who is licensed in the geographic location of the infrastructure asset
systems being evaluated, using professional judgment.
3.1.36 intangible asset, n—a component of an infrastructure asset service that requires trust between the provider and recipient;
includes the services of food systems, healthcare, security, education, and financial systems.
3.1.37 intangible infrastructure, n—delivered services (that is, of food systems, healthcare, security, education, and financial
systems) that require trust between provider and recipient that is always associated with one or more tangible infrastructure assets
(that is, potable water, sewerage, buildings, power, communication, transit and travel, or waste disposal, or combinations thereof).
3.1.38 integrated fiscal administrative management system, n—programs and procedures offor an authority designed to assure
the cost efficacious management of her/his public or private sector organization such that the following three relationships are
demonstrated acceptable, failed, or uncertain: (1) golden rule condition; (2) maximum interest paid for capital; and (3) less capital
outlays than allocated.improvement revenue than capital outlay.
3.1.38.1 Discussion—
The user has achieved accountability and transparency upon documenting these relationships in the Infrastructure System Report
and making the document available to infrastructure asset service recipients (that is, individuals, homeowners, or public and private
organizations, or combinations thereof).
3.1.39 land value capture, v—recouping invested wealth in infrastructure asset provision following an actual increase in land
value due to the investment.
3.1.40 less capital outlays than allocated improvement revenue than capital outlay (a relationship)—the condition when capital
improvement revenue (c) revenue is greaterless than capital improvement project-related outlay (w)(w). outlay.
3.1.40.1 Discussion—
(w) is simultaneously capital outlay and exogenous wealth input.
3.1.41 life cycle cost, n—the sum of all known or expected material and non-material costs associated with an asset or group
of assets; these costs include not only the acquisition value, but also activities related to an asset from acquisition through
utilization and disposition.
3.1.41.1 Discussion—
Life cycle cost assumes that an infrastructure asset has a known or predicted useful life. The user should be aware that some
tangible infrastructure assets continue to operate and meet performance standards long after the originally planned or anticipated
useful life (for example, interstate highway system, bridges, waste water treatment plants) and that other infrastructure assets have
finite life spans due to permitting or capacity limits. The user may use several publicly-available tools to calculate life cycle costs.
3.1.42 life safety-priority, n—a project selection criterion that advances projects with reductions in risks to human health and
safety over other projects that reduce those risks to a lesser extent, subject to professional judgment.
3.1.43 maximum interest paid for capital (a relationship)—the condition when capital improvement retirement debt (z) outlays
are moreless than 1.25 times capital improvement revenues (c)(c), funds, minus capital project-generated revenues (d)(d).
revenues.
3.1.44 mediate revenue (a), n—incoming wealth that originates from the activities of government or private sector organization
in the performance of the infrastructure asset provision duties of the authority; the complement of immediate (b) revenue.
3.1.44.1 Discussion—
These revenues are the capital budget that includes the (c) capital improvement funds, the (d) capital project-generated revenue,
and the (e) non-private source of revenue.
E3210 − 20
3.1.45 nature, n—tangible assets that concern natural opportunities (that is, Earth, vegetation, life forms, air, wind, sunlight,
water, precipitation, and the electromagnetic spectrum commons) that are managed (or not managed, as in passively stepping back)
in terms of not only the ecological services they provide to humans, but also in terms of the ecological functions they provide for
their continued existence and ability to sustainably provide infrastructure asset services in the future.
3.1.45.1 Discussion—
Note that beneficial use of wastes (composting), recycling, control of farm chemical runoff, and materials substitution is part of
nature infrastructure assets, because loss of nature is reduced in those ways.
3.1.46 non-private source of revenue (e), n—incoming wealth to an authority generated by activities associated with
infrastructure asset services provision, primarily for current services outlays.
3.1.46.1 Discussion—
The “e” is the shorthand designation of these revenues in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System; includes user
fees (for example, payments for delivery of potable water, natural gas, and electricity) and tolls, penalties, or captured locational
land values, or combinations thereof. This revenue may also be used by the authority for retirement of capital improvement debt
(z).
3.1.47 ordinary outlays (x), n—outgoing wealth expended for ongoing, current services such as waste collection, sewage
treatment, street cleaning, emergency and non-emergency police patrols, and subway operations and maintenance; the complement
of extraordinary (y) outlays.
3.1.47.1 Discussion—
The “x” is the shorthand designation of these funds in the Integrated Fiscal Administrative Management System. These are also
referred to as outlays for operations, maintenance, monitoring, and repair.
3.1.48 outlays, n—outgoing wealth from a unit of government or private sector organization for the provision of infrastructure
services; includes ordinary outlays (for current services (x)) and extraordinary outlays (for capital improvements (y)).
3.1.49 potable water systems, n—tangible assets including surface or ground water supply, or both, that meets public health
standards.
3.1.50 power, n—tangible assets including electricity, natural gas, or other energized systems.
3.1.51 private sector organization, n—a non-public entity led by an authority who provides infrastructure asset services to
infrastructure asset service recipients. Such an organization includes private colleges/universities and other non-public
organizations that supply infrastructure asset services to employees or other service recipients.
3.1.52 procedure, n—specified way to carry out an activity or a process.
3.1.53 professional judgment, n—the active involvement of the authority or PE, licensed in the geographic location of the
infrastructure asset system being evaluated, who is knowledgeable of the subject matter (for which the Infrastructure System
Report documents) and how unacceptable infrastructure asset system conditions are identified.
3.1.53.1 Discussion—
The PE shall be current in her/his knowledge of the construction and operation, maintenance, monitoring, and repair of
infrastructure assets, and when expertise is lacking, consults with o
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