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Organisationseinheit der BAM
Reliability assessment of existing bridge constructions based on results of non-destructive testing
(2018)
The non-destructive testing methods available for civil engineering (NDT-CE) enable the measurements of quantitative parameters, which realistically describe the characteristics of existing buildings. In the past, methods for quality evaluation and concepts for validation expanded into NDT-CE to improve the objectivity of measured data. Thereby, a metrological foundation was developed to collect statistically sound and structurally relevant information about the inner construction of structures without destructive interventions. More recently, the demand for recalculations of structural safety was identified. This paper summarizes a basic research study on structural analyses of bridges in combination with NDT. The aim is to use measurement data of nondestructive testing methods as stochastic quantities in static calculations. Therefore, a methodical interface between the guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement and probabilistic approximation procedures (e.g. FORM) has been proven to be suitable. The motivation is to relate the scientific approach of the structural analysis with real information coming from existing structures and not with those found in the literature. A case study about the probabilistic bending proof of a reinforced concrete bridge with statistically verified data from ultrasonic measurements shows that the measuring results fulfil the requirements concerning precision, trueness, objectivity and reliability.
The reassessment of bridges is becoming increasingly important. The basic requirement for analyses of structural safety is reliable knowledge about individual structures. This paper introduces the new approach to evaluate the quality of measured data gained from non-destructive testing (NDT) to provide reliable, objective, and relevant information about existing bridges. The purpose is to relate this validated knowledge to probabilistic analyses. Bridging the gap between NDT and numerical reassessments indicates reduced numerical uncertainties and residual service time extensions. This paper deals with an application of this approach using measurement data collected by ultrasonic technique at a prestressed concrete bridge.
Increasing requirements on the infrastructure caused by more and heavier traffic coincide with both the aging and the progressive degradation of bridge constructions. These exemplary issues lead to a non-negligible need for reassessments of existing bridges. Compared to the new building design, safety reserves can be used in the evaluation of such existing structures, since uncertainties that may arise during the design, construction and previous Service time are better known or no longer present. Uncertainties can be evaiuated more precisely by measurements. In the meantime, the application of advanced NDT-methods on concrete structures have become so capable, that crucial structure Parameters like certain material properties or geometrical dimensions can be quantified without significant destructive interventions. The measured data can be explicitly incorporated into the probabilistic computation models used for the bridge reassessment in form of random variables. Therewith, a previously insufficient model can be refined to achieve a higher level of approximation. This contribution emphasises two fundamental steps of the measured data based probabilistic reassessment: The sensitivity analyses to identify the cruciai Parameters and the needed accuracy of the related information as well as the comparison with expected uncertainties of non-destructively measured Parameters.
"The reassessment of bridges continues to take great importance both nationally and internationally. A major challenge is to find computation models reflecting the actual properties of the considered structures sufficiently accurate. Besides regular inspections, the conduction of advanced measurements is suitable to generate reliable information about a structure to be assessed. Prior to incorporating measurement results in reassessment, the relevance, the trueness, and the precision of the measured information needs to be stated. On the one hand, the use of information whose quality has not been assessed can lead to errors with serious consequences. On the other, the measurement of irrelevant information is inefficient. Although the use of measured data in assessment is currently mostly unregulated, their appreciation in reliability analyses is beneficial since the built environment can be assessed more realistically. Utilizing NDT in reassessment has the potential to extend remaining lifetimes of a structure, save resources, and improve infrastructural availabilities. The power of judgment regarding the decision on the reliability of an existing structure can be increased.
In this contribution, an approach is outlined to process non-destructively gathered measurement data in a comparableway in order to include themeasured information in probabilistic reliability assessments of existing structures. An essential part is the calculation of measurement uncertainties. The effect of incorporating evaluated NDT-results is demonstrated by means of a prestressed concrete bridge and GPR measurements conducted on this bridge as a case-study. The bridge is assessed regarding SLS Decompression using the NDT-results."
The purpose of this contribution is to introduce and to apply the developed approach of incorporating non-destructively gathered measurement results (instead of deterministic information and assumptions) into a reassessment model of a typical prestressed concrete road bridge and to outline the advantages. An essential part is the quality evaluation of the non-destructively measured information, that deals primarily with two questions. Could the object or parameter to be obtained reliably detected and if, how accurate are the inspection results achieved? Therefore, the importance of the combination of a probability of detection (POD)-approach and measurement uncertainty calculations is emphasized. With regard to the introduced case-study it is shown, for which structure parameters an assumption deviating from the actual (and measurable) situation has a particularly strong (and possibly arithmetically unfavorable) influence on the structural reliability. Measurements on such parameters are particularly beneficial for a reliable and robust reassessment. In conclusion, the individual reassessment results without consideration and with consideration of evaluated non-destructive inspection results are compared.
Making optimal decisions about the reliability of existing structures requires that the information used in assessment adequately represents the properties and the condition of the structures. The knowledge gap regarding a structure to be assessed can be successively filled by individually purposeful observations on site. This paper gives an overview of an approach for utilizing nondestructively gathered measurement results in reliability assessment of existing structures. An essential part of measurement-based stochastic modeling of basic variables is the calculation of measurement uncertainties, which serves to establish confidence in measurement, to ensure the comparability of unambiguously expressed measurement results, and to quantify the quality of the measured information. Regarding the current discourse on how to treat information collected on-site in the context of assessment, the authors recommend that measurement uncertainty becomes an uncertainty component mandatorily to be represented in measurement-based stochastic models. The main steps of the proposed concept are presented, and the advantages of its application are emphasized by means of a prestressed concrete bridge as case study. The bridge is assessed regarding the serviceability limit state decompression using ultrasonic and radar data measured at the structure.
The acquisition and appropriate processing of relevant information about the considered system remains a major challenge in assessment of existing structures. Both the values and the validity of computed results such as failure probabilities essentially depend on the quantity and quality of the incorporated knowledge. One source of information are onsite measurements of structural or material characteristics to be modeled as basic variables in reliability assessment. The explicit use of (quantitative) measurement results in assessment requires the quantification of the quality of the measured information, i.e., the uncertainty associated with the information acquisition and processing. This uncertainty can be referred to as measurement uncertainty. Another crucial aspect is to ensure the comparability of the measurement results.This contribution attempts to outline the necessity and the advantages of measurement uncertainty calculations in modeling of measurement data-based random variables to be included in reliability assessment. It is shown, how measured data representing time-invariant characteristics, in this case non-destructively measured inner geometrical dimensions, can be transferred into measurement results that are both comparable and quality-evaluated. The calculations are based on the rules provided in the guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM). The GUM-framework is internationally accepted in metrology and can serve as starting point for the appropriate processing of measured data to be used in assessment. In conclusion, the effects of incorporating the non-destructively measured data into reliability analysis are presented using a prestressed concrete bridge as case-study.
A major advantage in the reassessment of existing structures is the possibility of including measured data that describe the actual properties and the current condition of the structure to be reassessed. Currently, the incorporation of such measured information is mostly unregulated. However, the use of measurement results is vitally important, since a measured data-based improvement of the computation models level of approximation can lead at least to more meaningful results, possibly to extended remaining life times of the structure and in the best case to a saving of resources. Conversely, not appreciating well measurable and relevant information can be equated with a waste of resources. In this paper, a concept for the comparable use of non-destructively measured data as basic variables in probabilistic reliability assessments is outlined and examined using a typical prestressed concrete road bridge as a case-study. An essential requirement is the calculation of measurement uncertainties in order to evaluate the quality of the measurement results comparably. In conclusion, the example of ultrasonic and radar measurement data is used to demonstrate the effects that the incorporation of the measured information has on the reliability of the structure.
Information about an existing structure can be collected at certain costs to evaluate the reliability and condition as realistically as necessary. This information can be relevant or irrelevant, true or biased, precise or imprecise. The incorporation of relevant and quality-assessed measured information into reliability reassessment offers the chance to extend remaining lifetimes and support decision making about optimal actions or maintenance strategies. This paper shows recent developments in a national research project that aims to produce a guideline on the NDT-based, structure-specific modification of partial safety factors. The general methodology, results from recalculations according to the Eurocodes and metrologically solvable testing tasks relevant in the recalculation of the concrete bridges are shown and compared with the non-destructive testing methods applicable to concrete bridges. A case study is used to demonstrate that as-built drawings, in this case of the positions of tendons and shear reinforcement, can be verified using the radar method.