PSI - Issue 84

M. Cademartori et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 384–391

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5. Conclusions This study summarizes the authors’ recent experiences in assessing existing Italian bridges, highlighting the main technical challenges that affect the reliability of structural assessment. In many assessment projects, the lack of as built drawings and original design documentation remains one of the main obstacles to achieving a reliable structural assessment. This condition makes the knowledge phase central, as every subsequent analytical or testing activity depends on the quality and completeness of the information acquired. To support this phase, it would be highly beneficial to develop and disseminate historical design manuals that collect best construction practices, materials, detailing methods, and regulatory frameworks adopted across different construction eras. Such resources would provide designers with a structured reference for reconstructing original design assumptions, especially when documentation is incomplete or unavailable. The study also highlights the value of performance-based testing campaigns, which—although potentially extending investigation times—enable more targeted testing, better allocation of resources, and significantly improved accuracy of the acquired data. By progressively refining structural knowledge and calibrating analytical models through measured behavior, these campaigns contribute to more reliable capacity estimates and reduce uncertainties that cannot be resolved through documentation alone. In parallel, there is a strong need to provide clearer regulations for load testing on existing bridges, including criteria, procedures, safety provisions, and applicability limits. Establishing a structured normative framework would align national practice with more advanced international approaches and allow load testing to be used more effectively both as an investigative tool and, where appropriate, as a complementary means of assessment. Ultimately, the final goal of any assessment should be to define the remaining service life of the structure through a performance-oriented perspective. By integrating improved knowledge, performance-based testing, and clearer regulatory tools, engineers can obtain a more realistic understanding of structural behavior over time and plan interventions that are technically sound, cost effective, and proportionate to the actual needs of each bridge. References Calvi G.M., Moratti M., O'Reilly G., Scattarreggia N., Monteiro R., Malomo D., Calvi P.M., Pinho R. (2018): Once upon a Time in Italy: The Tale of the Morandi Bridge, Structural Engineering International , DOI: 10.1080/10168664.2018.1558033. CEN 1990 (2002): Eurocode 0: Basis of Design - Comité Européen de Normalisation, Brussels, Belgium. CEN/TS 17440:2020 Assessment and retrofitting of existing structures, Comité Européen de Normalisation, Brussels, Belgium. D’Amato, M., Ranaldo, A., Rosciano, M., Zona, A., Morici, M., Gioiella, L., Micozzi, F., Poeta, A., Quaglini, V., Cattaneo, S., Rossi, D., Pettorruso, C., Salvatore, W., Natali, A., Celati, S., Ubertini, F., Venanzi, I., Giglioni, V., Ierimonti, L., ... Dall’Asta, A. (2025). The Development and Statistical Analysis of a Material Strength Database of Existing Italian Prestressed Concrete Bridges. Infrastructures, 10(8), 203. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures10080203 FIB, 2016. Bullettin 80 Partial factor methods for existing concrete structures, Federation International du Beton, 2016 FIB, 2006. Bulletin 34 Model code for service life design, Federation International du Beton, 2006 Italy (1939), Royal Decree–Law No. 2229: Rules for the execution of plain or reinforced concrete works. Official Gazette of Italy. Ministry of Public Works (1962), Circular No. 384 of the Ministry of Public Works: Regulations concerning loads for the design of road bridges. 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Linee Guida per La Classificazione e Gestione Del Rischio, La Valutazione Della Sicurezza Ed Il Monitoraggio Dei Ponti Esistenti: Rome, Italy, 2022 President of the Council of Ministers Ordinance OPCM 3274 (2003). First elements concerning general criteria for the seismic classification of national territory and technical regulations for the construction in seismic zone (in Italian), Rome, Italy. Priestley M.J.N., Seible F., Calvi G.M. [1996] “Seismic Design and retrofit of Bridges”, John Wiley and Sons, New York, U.S.A. Salvatore, W., Uva, G., Venanzi, I., Mazzotti, C., Morici, M., Natali, A., ... & Proverbio, E. (2024). Application of Italian Guidelines for structural-foundational and seismic risk classification of bridges: the Fabre experience on a large bridge inventory. Procedia Structural Integrity, 62, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prostr.2024.09.009.