Due to the significant increase in the age of infrastructure globally, maintenance of existing structures has been prioritized over the construction of new structures, which are very costly. However, many infrastructure facilities have not been managed efficiently due to a lack of well-trained staff and budget limitations. Bridge management systems (BMSs) have been constructed and operated globally to maintain the originally designed structural performance and to overcome the inefficiency of maintenance practices for existing bridges. Unfortunately, because most of the current BMSs are based on 2D information systems, bridge maintenance data and information are not utilized effectively for bridge management. To overcome these problems, studies of BMSs based on building information modeling (BIM) have significantly increased in number. Most previous studies have proposed comprehensive frameworks containing approximate and limited information for maintenance to utilize BIM technology. Moreover, the utilization level of the maintenance information is less efficient because detailed information regarding safety diagnosis and maintenance are not included in data formats that are interpretable by computer algorithms. Therefore, in this study, a BIM-based BMS, including detailed information relating to safety diagnosis and maintenance, was constructed for the sustainability of bridge maintenance. To consider detailed information in the BMS, a maintenance data schema and its information system were established via the compilation of detailed information for safety diagnosis, repair and strengthening, remaining life, and valuation. In addition, a web data management program (WDMP) was developed using the maintenance data schema and information system, and was connected with the Midas CIM, which is a 3D modeling program. Finally, a prototype of the proposed BMS was established for an actual bridge in Korea. The proposed BMS in this study may be expected to improve the existing management practices for maintenance, and to reduce maintenance cost and information loss.
20 June 2024 in Advances in Structural Engineering
When evaluating the fragility of structures in response to wind loads, vulnerability analyses are often conducted under intact conditions. Therefore, the actual strength of aged transmission towers may be compromised, resulting in severe damage. Especially for steel structures used over a long period in coastal areas, there is a potential for performance degradation due to corrosion. One of the high-voltage transmission towers, the 765 kV transmission tower, is taller than other towers, making it more vulnerable to strong winds in the event of corrosion. In this study, the structural performance degradation of 765 kV transmission towers in coastal regions based on their service life was investigated. Capacity distributions were provided considering the uncertainties in various parameters, such as the wind attack angle and material properties. A fragility assessment process that accounts for uncertainties in the wind conditions and aerodynamic parameters is proposed. Using the research results, we created limit-collapsed surfaces to evaluate the structural safety of transmission towers based on their service life, wind speed, and wind attack angle. The results showed a quantitative decrease in structural safety due to corrosion depending on the service life, with the most unfavorable wind attack angle being 0°. The proposed limit-collapsed surface can help efficiently evaluate structural conditions considering wind speed, wind attack angle, and service life. Hence, this study can serve as a basis for the structural evaluation of modern transmission towers to avoid power disruptions in major cities.