National Bridge Inspections Go Robotic

October 27th, 2018 Author: Doug Thaler

Bridge inspections are critical to maintaining our nations and worldwide infrastructure. The more quantitative data that asset owners can obtain the earlier in a structures life cycle that proper maintenance can be implemented, the longer that structure can be safely and properly maintained.

According to the 2017 Bridge Industry report card. “The U.S. has 614,387 bridges, almost four in 10 of which are 50 years or older. 56,007 — 9.1% — of the nation’s bridges were structurally deficient in 2016, and on average there were 188 million trips across a structurally deficient bridge each day.

…the average age of America’s bridges keeps going up and many of the nation’s bridges are approaching the end of their design life.

Bridge collapse in Genoa Italy

The most recent estimate puts the nation’s backlog of bridge rehabilitation needs at $123 billion.” ..and these are just US statistics.

Infrastructure Preservation Corporation, IPC utilizing modern technology and robotics has developed non-destructive testing technology to provide advanced condition assessment reports to asset owners worldwide. The technology was developed to update current manual and subjective bridge inspection protocols. This technology will provide more quantitative data on our infrastructure than ever seen before. With not nearly enough senior inspectors and more nearing retirement age, current inspectors trained to use this technology will be able to provide their clients with the information required to create the action plans within current budget for repairs.

Utilizing Non-Destructive Testing and Robotics for Infrastructure and Bridge Inspections will help extend the service life of critical infrastructure assets and save billions in untimely expenditures.