The Sustainable Development of Bridges in China: Collapse Cause Analysis, Existing Management Dilemmas and Potential Solutions

Abstract

The construction of sustainable bridge projects has become a global mission and challenge in the 21st century. Unfortunately, there has been a rise in bridge collapse incidents due to various factors in recent years both during the construction and service phases. These incidents have resulted in significant loss of life and property damage, exacerbating the five sustainable development issues faced by bridge engineering: natural, resource, environmental, social, and economic factors. As a result, the prevention and resolution of bridge collapse accidents have garnered attention from professionals, research institutions, and government departments, making it a prominent research area. In line with the sustainable development concept of bridge engineering, this article classifies the causes of bridge collapses into two categories: those occurring during the construction phase and those happening during the service phase; the latter includes lack of inspection, maintenance and management, external natural factors, and human factors. Furthermore, this article thoroughly examines the existing national management framework, identifying the dilemmas that hinder its effectiveness in regulating bridge collapse prevention. Finally, several effective suggestions are proposed for the prevention of bridge collapse incidents. These recommendations aim to motivate governments, project owners, designers, constructors, managers, and users to actively develop and promote high-quality sustainable bridges.