Management system for road bridge structural bearings

Support bearings used in road bridges frequently account for a major part of the maintenance budget of the corresponding bridges. In addition, there are considerable indirect costs and inconveniences resulting from rehabilitation operations and consequent interruption of traffic. This paper presents an innovative management system for support bearings used in road bridges. The system encompasses the development of a classification system of bridge support bearings, their anomalies and possible causes, inspection and diagnosis methods, and maintenance and rehabilitation techniques, linked by appropriately validated correlation matrixes. Based on a set of parameters that define degradation levels, the system allows evaluating each defect in terms of physical and functional deterioration and social impact. Priorities for action can then be set according to the parameter considered most critical: anomaly, bearing, bridge or road section.