Reliability analysis of a bridge network in Ireland

Abstract

This paper presents the reliability analysis of a network of six bridges in Ireland, with a focus on the sensitivity analysis and the analysis of parameter importance measures. The basis of the analysis stems from the possibility of investigating similarities in various parameters, leading to the establishment of network-level indicators based on fully probabilistic assessments. Initially, deterministic assessments are carried out on these bridges to verify the limit-states, and a detailed probabilistic analysis is conducted, taking uncertainty in relation to the available information into account. Parametric importance measures are established across the network, and patterns identified from these studies suggest the potential for reliability-based network calibrations of bridge structures. This paper is expected to encourage a greater sharing of network-level information of the owners and managers of bridges.

Variations of Safety Factors for Bridges over their Lifetime considering Changing Live Load Definitions

“…Tomorrow's Megastructures investments through the use of advanced methods; and reliability methods are an effective tool for the monitoring of an asset base and, thus, allowing the prioritisation of intervention and investment requirements in a more careful and rational manner. Intervention can be focused to address the most important parameters that govern the safety of the bridges, as highlighted by the parametric sensitivity and parameter importance factors, which are beneficial byproducts of reliability assessments [9].…”

Editorial

“…These are available to subscribers on the ICE Virtual Library website at http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/toc/jbren/0/0. In this issue, the first authors, from Ireland, address the topic of decision making for infrastructure managers in a paper where the minimum level of confidence that is required in order to make a rational intervention decision is studied, and how uncertainty can affect it (Hanley and Pakrashi, 2016). The second paper (Oliveira Pedro and Reis, 2016) emphasises the importance of mastering the state of the art before starting to design, to build or to exploit a given infrastructure.…”