Improving resilience of infrastructure: the case of bridges

Abstract

Three well-known examples-I-35W bridge failure, London Hammersmith Flyover closure, and the UK M1 motorway under-bridge fire-highlight the need for a reliable decision support methodology to enable better informed decisions on timely intervention and/or resilient recovery from a damaging event. It seems that, quite apart from extreme man-made or natural hazards, our transportation infrastructure is not resilient under man-made or natural loads, and we need to leverage technology to better understand and respond to societal risks due to a lack of resiliency. The challenge to improve infrastructure resilience has led to major infrastructure research initiatives that are relevant to the case of bridges. FHWA created the Long Term Bridge Performance Program, while in the UK, EPSRC recently promoted the two themes of resilient infrastructure and monitoring and field investigation of existing infrastructure. The paper will describe these initiatives and how they aim to improve the resilience of bridges, which are key components in our transport infrastructure. It will also suggest some specific activities for developing closer interactions between a wide range of academic and industry stakeholders leading to development effective decision support methodologies. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.