Winterthur, February 2019 – Infrastructures are continuously aging – and at the same time, traffic volumes are soaring. This creates a hazardous situation, but the right technologies can at least reduce the risk. On the one hand, vibration measurements supply valuable data about the exact condition of a bridge; and on the other, Weigh In Motion (WIM) systems make it possible to collect comprehensive usage data and restrict access as appropriate.
The Morandi Bridge near Genoa (Italy) collapsed in summer 2018. The four-lane viaduct was part of the A10 autostrada, an arterial route that carries heavy traffic. This accident in the heart of Europe claimed 43 lives and even today, its causes have not been clarified beyond doubt. Was a design error to blame? Was inadequate maintenance responsible? And, above all: could the accident have been prevented – and if so, how? We shall have to wait for the official investigative report by the Italian authorities to provide reliable answers to these questions.
The fact is that road bridges involve enormously complex and interrelated infrastructure problems. The Genoa accident is merely the tip of the iceberg: many other bridges collapse without claiming victims, or without attracting public attention. In the U.S. alone, for example, there are 578 000 highway bridges: most of them were built shortly after the Second World War, and they have an average lifespan of about 70 years. The situation is similar in Germany, where experts have been warning for decades that growing numbers of bridges are reaching their critical age, or are in need of restoration. How can these structures be monitored efficiently? How can their maintenance be properly targeted? And how can maximum safety be ensured for their users?