Object-Oriented Damage Information Modeling Concepts and Implementation for Bridge Inspection

Abstract

Bridges are designed to last for more than 50 years and consume up to 50% of their life-cycle costs during their operation phase. Several inspections and assessment actions are executed during this period. Bridge and damage information must be gathered, digitized, and exchanged between different stakeholders. Currently, the inspection and assessment practices rely on paper-based data collection and exchange, which is time-consuming and error-prone, and leads to loss of information. Storing and exchanging damage and building information in a digital format may lower costs and errors during inspection and assessment and support future needs, for example, immediate simulations regarding performance assessment, automated maintenance planning, and mixed reality inspections. This study focused on the concept for modeling damage information to support bridge reviews and structural analysis. Starting from the definition of multiple use cases and related requirements, the data model for damage information is defined independently from the subsequent implementation. In the next step, the implementation via an established standard is explained. Functional tests aim to identify problems in the concept and implementation. To show the capability of the final model, two example use cases are illustrated: the inspection review of the entire bridge and a finite-element analysis of a single component. Main results are the definition of necessary damage data, an object-oriented damage model, which supports multiple use cases, and the implementation of the model in a standard. Furthermore, the tests have shown that the standard is suitable to deliver damage information; however, several software programs lack proper implementation of the standard.