Infrastructure management systems based on non-destructive technologies for masonry arch bridges

Procedures for evaluation and conservation of historical monuments should be based on detailed documentation of a number of characteristics such as geometric, architectonic and structural parameters. Moreover, existence of catalogues or inventories is essential for monitoring and preserving historical structures. In the case of bridges, several bridge management systems (BMS) are currently in the market. In the context of a masonry-based bridge management system, this paper presents an innovative methodology for masonry bridge inspection and evaluation. The methodology consists of the development of a Mobile Inspection Unit (MIU) that can perform inventory, inspection, and in-situ structural evaluation based on real geometry. After geometric verification and validation tests, results show that measurement errors were lower than 2%, with precisions under 0.5%. In addition, the operator samples do not play a key role during the measurements. This methodology is also validated by its rapidity, low-cost, and quantitative nature achieved with simple methods.