Linear Asset
A linear asset is an asset whose extent and value are distributed along a length rather than a single point location. Watermains, sanitary and storm sewers, roads, cable and fibre runs, and gas lines are all linear assets. Because their condition, value, and risk are spread across distance, they are modelled as networks of connected segments and nodes rather than as discrete pieces of equipment.
Key Points
- Linear assets carry their value along a length - watermains, sewers, roads, fibre, gas lines
- They are modelled as networks of segments (pipes, road sections) and nodes (manholes, valves, hydrants, poles)
- A segment knows its topology - a sewer main knows its upstream and downstream manholes
- Condition is tracked per segment, then rolled up with a length-weighted Network Condition Index
- Common attributes include length, material, diameter, install date, slope, and inverts
Linear vs Discrete Assets
A discrete asset - a rooftop unit, a pump, a generator - lives at one point. You can stand next to it, tag it, and assess it as a whole. A linear asset does not work that way: a 1.2 km watermain might be excellent at one end and failing at the other, run under three different streets, and have been installed in two phases decades apart. Discrete assets fit a building-and-equipment hierarchy; linear assets fit a spatial network. Treating a pipe as a single discrete asset throws away exactly the information - where it is good, where it is bad, how long each part is - that you need to plan renewal.
Segments and Nodes
Linear networks are modelled with two building blocks. Segments are the lengths between connection points - a pipe between two manholes, a road section between two intersections - and they carry attributes like length, material, and condition. Nodes are the point features that connect segments: manholes, valves, hydrants, catch basins, and poles. Together they capture topology, so the network knows how it is connected. A sanitary sewer main knows its upstream and downstream manholes, which is what lets you trace flow, isolate a break, or plan a CCTV run along a continuous line.
Why Linear Assets Need Different CMMS Treatment
Most CMMS tools were built for discrete equipment and struggle with linear assets. Linear asset management needs condition scored per segment rather than per asset, length-weighted indices so a long failing main is not averaged away by short healthy ones, and a map-first interface because location is the asset. It also needs proper GIS data exchange - importing GeoJSON, Shapefile, or CSV with geometry, and overlaying authoritative ArcGIS layers - because the source of truth for linear infrastructure usually already lives in a GIS. AssetLab is built around these requirements rather than bolting them onto an equipment model.
Common Attributes
Linear assets share a recognizable set of attributes that drive condition and renewal decisions: length (the basis for weighting and for material quantities), material (ductile iron, PVC, concrete, asphalt), diameter or width, install date (the anchor for age-based deterioration), slope (critical for gravity sewers), and inverts (the elevations at each end of a pipe). Capturing these consistently lets you compare features, model deterioration, and quantify the work needed when a segment is renewed.
Manage Linear Assets with AssetLab
AssetLab provides the tools you need to put these concepts into practice with Canadian data residency and CAD pricing.