Bridge reinforcement or repair project - Methodology

This dossier, a logical sequel to the articles on "Pathology and assessment of existing bridges" ( [C 7 402] , [C 7 403] , [C 7 404] and [C 7 405] ), is of course aimed at the same readers, for the same reasons.

An existing bridge was designed to provide a certain service. However, due to design and/or execution errors, ageing materials, environmental attacks, aggressive traffic, accidental actions, etc., the bridge may be in disrepair and no longer provide the intended service. It is therefore necessary to repair or even replace it.

In some cases, the load-bearing capacity and geometry of an existing bridge are no longer adapted to the new needs arising from increased traffic and loads... The structure must therefore be enabled to meet these new services, which in most cases means reinforcing it.

This issue is dedicated to :

• define a number of terms related to repair and reinforcement;

• detail the various steps involved in a "good" repair and reinforcement project;

• develop the various methods for repairing and reinforcing concrete bridges or parts of bridges (reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete).

  This last part has been thoroughly revised to take account of the fact that, on the one hand, new methods have been developed and, on the other, European standardization is increasingly replacing French standardization. As a result, the product standards of the P 18-800 series...