Publications de Numa Joy Bertola

Combining passive and active ultrasonic stress wave monitoring for the characterization of the early-age properties of a UHPFRC beam

This article focuses on the characterization of the early-age properties of Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC), which is becoming popular for designing lightweight and durable structures. Due to the large proportion of ...

2025

A global framework for data-informed bridge examination

Eugen Brühwiler, Philippe Schiltz, Numa Joy Bertola

Examining the performance of an existing bridge requires information on several aspects, such as design choices, material properties, and ongoing degradation processes. It often happens that some critical information is not available. The traditional appro ...

2024

Combined Passive and Active Ultrasonic Stress Wave Monitoring of Concrete Structures: An Overview of Data Analysis Techniques and Their Applications and Limitations

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

Combined passive ultrasonic (US) stress wave [better known as acoustic emission (AE)] and active US stress wave monitoring has been shown to provide a more holistic picture of ongoing fracture processes, damage progression, as well as slowly occurring agin ...

NDT.net2024

Early detection of structural damage in UHPFRC structures through the combination of acoustic emission and ultrasonic stress wave monitoring

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola, Thomas Schumacher

Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC) offers several advantages compared to concrete, notably due to the strain hardening behavior under tensile actions. Structures made of this composite material are lightweight and highl ...

2024

FLO:RE – A new floor system made of reused reinforced concrete and steel elements

Maléna Bastien Masse, Numa Joy Bertola, Célia Marine Küpfer, Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet

Carefully extracting reinforced concrete (RC) elements from soon-to-be demolished structures and reusing them as load-bearing components is an emerging circular low-carbon alternative to building new structures. As floor construction typically accounts for ...

IABSE2024

Reuse of cut concrete slabs in new buildings for circular ultra-low-carbon floor designs

Numa Joy Bertola, Célia Marine Küpfer, Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet

The study explores an original idea that responds to the urgent need to reduce the detrimental environmental impacts of load-bearing floor construction in new buildings by reusing saw-cut reinforced concrete (RC) pieces salvaged from soon-to-be demolished ...

2024

Determining structural properties of a prestressed concrete bridge through the combination of static and dynamic load testing

Eugen Brühwiler, Yves Sylvain Gilles Reuland, Numa Joy Bertola

Examining structural safety requires hypotheses on several properties of the bridge structure, such as material properties, boundary conditions, and self-weight. The traditional approach relies on conservative assumptions for each structural property, foll ...

2024

Combining monitoring information and UHPFRC strengthening to extend bridge service duration

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

As many bridges are approaching the end of their supposedly theoretical service duration, finding novel technical solutions to extend their service duration is crucial, also for reasons of sustainability. In this article, two strategies (structural perform ...

CRC Press2024

Evaluation des ponts routiers existants avec un modèle de charge de trafic actualisé

Eugen Brühwiler, Alain Nussbaumer, Dimitrios Papastergiou, Numa Joy Bertola, Matthew James Sjaarda, Paola Costanza Miglietta

Office fédéral des routes OFROU2024

Methods to assess the carbon footprint of structures involving UHPFRC elements

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola, Antonina Hochuli

The development of Ultra-High Performance Fibre-Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC) has enabled the design of lightweight constructions. Although the greenhouse gas emissions of UHPFRC per volume are higher than that of conventional concr ...

Kassel University Press2024

Framework to evaluate the value of monitoring-technique information for structural performance monitoring

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

The management of existing civil infrastructure is becoming more crucial as a large share of bridges is approaching their theoretical end of service duration. Structural performance monitoring aims to verify bridge safety at a given time, and it should be ...

2023

Sensing the structural behavior: A perspective on the usefulness of monitoring information for bridge examination

Eugen Brühwiler, Yves Sylvain Gilles Reuland, Numa Joy Bertola

Managing existing civil infrastructure is challenging due to evolving functional requirements, material aging, and climate change. With increasingly limited economic, environmental, and material resources, more sustainable solutions for practical asset man ...

2023

Predicting the usefulness of monitoring information for structural evaluations of bridges

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

Taylor and Francis / CRC Press2023

Assessment of the information gain of several monitoring techniques for bridge structural examination

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

2023

Design of New Low-Carbon Floor Systems by Reusing Cut Cast-in-Place Concrete Pieces

Numa Joy Bertola, Célia Marine Küpfer, Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet

As floors typically account for the largest share of a building embodied carbon footprint, new strategies to build low-carbon floors must be developed and implemented. Among these strategies, the reuse of existing components is a promising circular approac ...

Novus Press2023

Combined Passive and Active Ultrasonic Stress Wave Monitoring of UHPFRC Properties on a Structural Level

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola, Thomas Schumacher

Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC) is becoming popular in designing lightweight and durable structures. UHPFRC structural elements remain crack-free and waterproof under service conditions, significantly improving durab ...

2023

Methodology for selecting measurement points that optimize information gain for model updating

Ian Smith, Numa Joy Bertola

Information collected through sensor measurements has the potential to improve knowledge of complex-system behavior, leading to better decisions related to system management. In this situation, and particularly when using digital twins, the quality of sens ...

2023

Environmental and Life-Cycle Cost Evaluation of a Composite Timber-UHPFRC Bridge

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

Ultra-High-Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC) has recently been used to design lightweight structures and strengthen existing ones, with more than 300 applications in Switzerland. Several composite timber-UHPFRC bridges have been ...

2023

Editorial: Structural sensing for asset management

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

2023

Renforcement et élargissement du Pont de Ferpècle via un clavage des culées en CFUP armé

Eugen Brühwiler, Numa Joy Bertola

Le Pont de Ferpècle, situé aux Haudères (Valais, Suisse), est un des premiers ponts en béton précontraint de Suisse. Datant de 1958 et construit par l’ingénieur Pierre Tremblet, l’ouvrage est constitué d’une poutre simple avec une portée de 34.5 mètres qui ...

2023