Future infrastructural replacement through the smart bridge concept

Abstract

Most of the bridges and viaducts in the Netherlands were built in the sixties and seventies of the last century, and an increasing number of them will have to be replaced due to technical or functional reasons. The Netherlands is not an exception, many industrialized countries will face a similar replacement task in the near future. With the increased traffic intensities and the importance of mobility, the design and construction strategies for new bridges have to be different from that in the past. New methods need to ensure that traffic hindrance due to construction works and (future) maintenance activities are minimized. At the Delft University of Technology, a SMART bridge concept is being developed for fast and hindrance-free infrastructural replacement. The optimal advantage is achieved by utilizing innovative but proven technologies, and by bringing academic research into practice. A combination of recent innovations in construction technology, such as advanced cementitious materials (ACM), structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques, advanced design methods (ADM), and accelerated bridge construction (ABC) is being used. These innovations represent a step towards the next generation of infrastructure where fast construction, intelligent bridge design, sustainability, zero-energy, no/low maintenance, and aesthetics are key features.