PSI - Issue 44

Agnese Natali et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 44 (2023) 2012–2019 Agnese Natali et al. / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2022) 000–000

2016

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Fig. 2. Approach for the definition of the warning classes.

The method is structured to guide the executor to the evaluation of the WaC so that the final judgment is clear – in terms of the main affecting parameters - and the most objective possible. In this regard, one of the crucial steps of the process is the evaluation of the level of defectiveness, which is fundamental for the evaluation of vulnerability of structural and seismic risk, and significantly influence also the final WaC and the organization of the following activities. Indeed, two bridges can share the same structural WaC, but the reason for this can be different. For example, there are two bridges with a high structural WaC, but the first one is a hardly damaged structure (meaning high vulnerability, so high structural WaC, independently from the other classes for exposure and hazard), while the second one has a high WaC because of high hazard and exposure, with medium vulnerability. This may give priority of intervention to the first one, being vulnerability the closest parameter to the conservation status and level of damage of the structure. Regarding the definition of the level of defectiveness, which happens after the execution of the visual inspections, the Operating Instructions give more detailed instructions for its evaluation, in the direction of clarity and objectivity of the evaluation process. Table 2. Table for the definition of the structural WaC according to high hazard, and different levels of vulnerability and exposure. HIGH Hazard Class Exposure Class High Medium-High Medium Medium-Low Low 3. Identification of processes to be automated and structure of the software INSPICIO As illustrated in §2, the process from the Level 0 to the classification is well organized and defined in each step. Indeed, the whole procedure is structured to be easily applied by the road managers, who may need to run the whole process for thousands of bridges. Although the easiness of application, the operations to be run and the data to be gathered are many but interconnected: those gathered in the Level 0 are needed and checked in Level 1, then those collected in both Levels 0 and 1 are necessary to complete Level 2. The Level 2 is structured so that the WaC is the product of logical flows. All these facts highlight the possibility to automate and computerize the whole procedure so that the entire process can be easily completed and the data collected can be already organized to be used for future operations. Starting from the previous considerations, the new tailored-developed software INSPICIO is made to support the operations from the census to the definition of the WaCs. It has been developed to cover all the possible requirements, thinking about two main aspects: • Technical scientific background. The software and its scientific content are organized and structured so that they are completely in line with the Guidelines and the Operating Instructions. In general, the scientific background is provided for the key parameters and the relevant steps of the procedure to support the decisions of the operators. These recalls to technical knowledge or to extracts from the regulations are pop-ups made. Vulnerability Class Low High High Medium-High High Medium-High Medium High Medium-High Medium Medium-Low Medium-High Medium-High Medium Medium Medium-Low