Adding value to bridges by monitoring and UHPFRC technology

Novel structural engineering methods and technologies are urgently needed to improve the performance of existing structures, such as bridges. Limited funding and ever increasing user demands challenge current technologies which are often invasive and not cost-effective. The objective of this lecture is to demonstrate how novel engineering methods and technologies provide a next long service duration to existing bridges. At first, the basic approach consists in an accurate determination of in-situ structural behaviour for the structural and fatigue safety verification of bridges using data from in-situ long term structural monitoring of actual traffic action effects. If interventions are necessary, a targeted use of advanced high-performance materials is suggested to improve effectively structural behaviour and resistance. A novel technology is presented to enhance bridges using Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Composites (UHPFRC), a technology applied in Switzerland for more than 10 years. The lecture will be illustrated by application cases including bridges of high aesthetic and cultural value.