SIMSLab
Smart Assessment of Bridge Deck Efficiency and Safety in Hong Kong
Advancing infrastructure resilience through AI-driven structural health monitoring and performance evaluation.
Abstract / Brief Description
Smart Assessment of Bridge Deck Efficiency and Safety in Hong Kong
Funding Scheme: Smart Traffic Fund
Funding Amount: $8,999,567
Principal Investigator: Prof. ZAYED Tarek
Project Scope
Following global practice, in Hong Kong visual inspection (VI) is the primary method to assess bridge condition. However, it often fails to detect subsurface defects, such as rebar corrosion. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in the USA reported that 48% of bridge condition ratings using VI were incorrectly assessed. To overcome these limitations, this research integrated three advanced technologies in the inspection process:
1. Visual Inspections enhanced by drones for automated data collection
2. Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) to map subsurface corrosion
3. Infrared Thermography (IRT) to detect delamination (internal concrete separation)
Machine learning algorithms were utilised to analyse the combined data from these technologies, forming a comprehensive multi-tier inspection system designed to identify critical defects. The project aimed to:
1. Pinpoint key factors and defect types driving bridge deterioration in Hong Kong’s unique climate;
2. Develop a multi-tier inspection system for detecting and locating surface and subsurface defects in concrete bridge decks; and
3. Design a Bridge Deck Efficiency Index to quantify structural health.
Key Findings
The project findings/deliverables can be summarised as follows:
1. Deterioration Analysis Report: Identified critical surface/subsurface defects (e.g., cracks and corrosion) and their severity in Hong Kong’s environment.
2. Hybrid Inspection System: A tested setup combining drones, GPR, and IR for efficient defect detection.
3. Bridge Deck Efficiency Index: A smart index integrating three metrics:
• Surface Defect Efficiency Assessment for surface damage.
• GPR Corrosiveness Index for hidden rebar corrosion.
• IR Delamination Index for concrete delamination.
4. A 5-Point Severity Scale: A standardised rating system to prioritise repairs.
5. Smart Bridge Deck Efficiency Tool: A user-friendly software prototype automating data analysis.
Bridge Assessment Technologies
SIMSLab