Strength monitoring of bridge constructions and features of its application. Part 1. International and domestic experience of monitoring application

Abstract

The development trend of building systems can be characterized in the following words: sophistication of design and simplification of operation. And the main task of the engineering structure operation is to ensure stability of the functioning structures with respect to the external aggressive impacts. The article considers the strength monitoring of bridge structures proposed by Ovchinnikov I.G. in 1994. The strength monitoring is an element of the engineering structure operation system. Algorithm of structure monitoring is based on the following main tasks — establishing nature of the external impacts on the structure and evaluating capacity of structure to resist these impacts in the concrete environment of operation. The article considers the different approaches to solving problem of transport structure operation around the world. It is proposed to include the following subsystems in the system of structure operation: 1) a subsystem of the strength monitoring of structures; 2) a subsystem of the scientific research and development organization; 3) a subsystem of work automation on the structure status management; 4) a subsystem of personnel training for work in the system of structure operation, including monitoring, research, automation of works, emergency response and quality management; 5) a subsystem of actions in the case of emergencies; 6) a subsystem of the quality management of structure operation and 7) a subsystem of ecological structure monitoring. It is noted that at the stage of structure operation the active monitoring includes the solution of the following main tasks: 1) evaluation of the stress — strain state of construction components and the whole structure, as well as the kinetics of its change taking into account the existing defects and damages of local and distributed type; 2) analysis and evaluation of degree of conformity for the ultimate load-carrying capacity of structure to the external impacts during the moment under consideration and over the forecasting period; prediction of structure durability under the given external impacts and current processes of degradation; 3) development of alternative strategies on change of the structure status prior to project one or up to the required level (repair, restoration, reinforcement, reconstruction, replacement); 4) selection and implementation of the most efficient strategy to change the structure status. The article describes the solutions of formulated tasks.

Keywords

• strength monitoring; bridge construction; system of operation; management of operation; models of degradation; prediction of durability