Integrated health assessment strategy using NDT for reinforced concrete bridges

• Examination of several NDT: visual inspection, ground penetrating radar (GPR) and IBIS-S technology/system.
• The results of case study are presented and compared between NDT and FEM.
• This paper proves conclusively to identify the portion of the bridge which had undergone the greatest amount of deterioration.

This paper presents the results of the application of several Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT) on the Pentagon Road Bridge, in Chatham, Kent, England. This provides crucial structural information such as rebar position, moisture ingress and deflection. A FEM (Finite Element Model) of the bridge was created using data from the visual inspection and was parameterised and calibrated using information gather from the NDT results. The results of all of the above are compared in order to identify the portion of the bridge which had undergone the greatest amount of deterioration. This process forms the basis for the integrated bridge health mechanism proposed by this paper.