On-site loading test on a bridge to be removed, until it collapses
As the periodic inspection progresses, the number of bridges requiring repair or strengthening is expected to increase rapidly, but a method to select the most appropriate countermeasure according to each situation is yet to be established. For this reason, we are engaged in the research and development of reliable repair and strengthening technologies that do not end up in increasing the maintenance workload due to re-deterioration or maintainability decrease.
Our goal is to establish the proper method to evaluate bridge performance including the load-bearing capacity and thereby contribute to improving the diagnostic technique of road administrators of the entire country. To verify the residual bearing capacity of an existing PC bridge that suffered salt damage, we performed the first destructive test with the main beam of an actual bridge in Japan.
We are working to clarify the fatigue damage mechanism of concrete bridge decks strengthened with fiber sheets and the required performance of strengthening materials. We are also proposing a design method for strengthening the decks with the fiber sheets, which is compatible with various materials, and contributing to the development of the most suitable method for maintaining and repairing the decks.
