Assessment of RC Bridges integrity by means of low-cost investigations

Abstract

Infrastructure aging is an important problem nowadays, in particular for countries like Italy in which the main motorways were built 50 years ago. Huge budgets are necessary to keep infrastructure and bridges in service. In addition, the lack of a proper and timely maintenance, entails an increase of the deterioration and therefore higher costs of repair. Thus, the need of methods capable of assessing the reliability of the infrastructure in the frame of Bridge Management System (BMS), is patent. The aim of this work is to provide a robust decision-support tool for the analysis of the data collected with field inspection. The innovative aspect of the proposal is the introduction of two factors which take into account the location of the damage, and the mechanical characterization of the material in the definition of a Condition Rating Number (CRN). The analysis of an existing Reinforced Concrete (RC) bridge network is presented in order to show the accuracy of this new method.

Sliding Mode Control and Geometrization Conjecture in Seismic Response

“…The energy-dissipation device is illustrated, with experimental results gathered, with a reduced-scale five-story structure with a magnetorheological damper. Perspectives of further assessment can extend the mentioned technique of calculation to other contexts as the out-of-plane dynamics of masonry walls [29] or the dynamic control of bridges [30].…”

The Role of Parent Concrete in Recycled Aggregate Concrete

“…Finally, given that the transportation costs of these materials it is always a key variable for all economic analysis, they can be useful also in case of the retrofitting of existing structures and infrastructures, see [ 33 , 34 ]. In particular when the environmental impact of the retrofitting intervention is taken into account (see [ 35 , 36 ]) the use of recycled aggregates can reduce the equivalent CO2 cost of that intervention.…”

Sustainable safety evaluation of roads network in case of extreme weather events

“…A further innovation concerns also the importance given to a bridge, based on the consequences that its collapse may have on the population. The method can help local stakeholders to draw up a list of infrastructures maintenance [20], [21] priorities, and to plan road closures without generating traffic congestions. But most importantly, the method can evaluate the operability and accessibility of emergency vehicles to villages and safe places within a specific damage scenario.…”