PSI - Issue 78

Fausto Alimenti et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 1326–1333

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These road segments, no longer used for regular traffic, could be equipped with advanced monitoring systems installed on bridges, viaducts, retaining walls, bulkheads, foundations, and tunnels, transforming them into permanent platforms for monitoring and learning (see Fig.4).Within these centers, decommissioned infrastructures would be instrumented with structural health monitoring systems, enabling continuous data acquisition on deformations, material degradation, and responses to natural or induced stresses. This would turn a necessary demolition process into a valuable resource for scientific research and technological innovation. Simultaneously, these areas would provide realistic environments for hands-on inspector training, allowing professionals to practice under operational conditions — without interfering with active traffic — using visual inspection methods, non-destructive testing, and advanced technological tools. These include light drones (DJI Mini 4 Pro) for contextual analysis, professional drones (DJI Matrice 30T) for detailed inspections, thermal binoculars (Pulsar Merger LRF XL50), high-resolution cameras (Sony Alpha 7 IV with interchangeable lenses), rugged tablets (Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro), photogrammetry software (DJI Terra Pro), high-capacity portable batteries (EcoFlow Delta 2), as well as telescopic poles and other accessories from the VISIT Kit (Grimaz et al., 2025a). The integration of practical training, real-time data access, and realistic operational scenarios would greatly enhance inspectors’ diagnostic capabilities and assessment skills regarding infrastructure conditions. These "Open Sky" laboratories would foster a tangible synergy between research, training, and field application, contributing to more resilient, proactive, and sustainable infrastructure management across the national network. 7. Conclusions and future developments The VISIVIA project and its VISIT methodology are crucial for managing Italy's and Europe's aging road infrastructure, offering a quick and objective way to evaluate assets and support ANSFISA. VISIT uses various technologies like equipped vehicles, specialized tunnel gear, and drones for efficient inspections, and its integration with new Italian Bridge Guidelines helps prioritize safety interventions. Beyond inspections, the project introduces a significant shift: converting decommissioned bridges into "Open Sky Training Centers." These centers are incredibly important. They provide unique opportunities for advanced seismic engineering research, allowing for the validation of degradation models and the study of structural behavior in real world conditions. At the same time, they offer invaluable practical training for bridge inspectors, boosting their skills and improving infrastructure management. Future efforts should refine the VISIT methodology, integrating it with advanced data analytics for more accurate safety predictions. Expanding the "Open Sky Training Centers" to include more infrastructure types and experimental scenarios will further enhance both research and training. This combined approach of systematic inspection, advanced research, and hands-on training will greatly improve the long-term resilience, sustainability, and safety of our critical transport infrastructure. References Allaix, D., Bigaj-van Vliet, A., Mancini, G., Daró, P., Strauss, AF, Bergmeister, K., Köhler, J., 2023. Future perspectives of standardization for a safe European transport infrastructure, in: Strauss, A, Bergmeister, K. (Eds.), Netherlands Organization Applied Science Research. Presented at the EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION ON QUALITY CONTROL OF BRIDGES AND STRUCTURES, EUROSTRUCT 2023, VOL 6, ISS 5, pp. 515 – 527. https://doi.org/10.1002/cepa.2025 Bencivenga, P., Buratti, G., Cosentino, A., De Matteis, G., Morelli, F., Salvatore, W., Zizi, M., 2022. Evolution of Design Traffic Loads for Italian Road Bridges, in: Pellegrino, C., Faleschini, F., Zanini, M.A., Matos, J.C., Casas, J.R., Strauss, A. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 1st Conference of the European Association on Quality Control of Bridges and Structures. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp. 1351 – 1358. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91877-4_154 Capogna, M., Salvatore, W., Renzi, E., Tamasi, G., 2023. “Guidelines for the classification and management of risk, for the e valuation of safety and for the monitoring of existing bridges”. An automatic calculation model of the seismic attention class opti mized for the use of cloud computing services. Procedia Struct. Integr., XIX ANIDIS Conference, Seismic Engineering in Italy 44, 705 – 712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prostr.2023.01.092 Cutrone, B., Salvatore, W., Renzi, E., Tamasi, G., 2023. “Guidelines for the classification and management of risk, for the evaluation of safety and for the monitoring of existing bridges”. Critical analysis and identification of innovative methods to improve the classifica tion of landslide risk. Procedia Struct. Integr., XIX ANIDIS Conference, Seismic Engineering in Italy 44, 713 – 720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prostr.2023.01.093