PSI - Issue 84

Alessandro Scala et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 497–504

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4. Conclusions The analyses presented in this paper indicate that the occurrence of extreme weather events is systematically associated with higher damage severity in bridge failures triggered by natural hazards. Extreme events act as amplifying factors of intrinsic structural and environmental vulnerabilities, often leading to partial or total collapse and limiting the development of progressive damage mechanisms that would otherwise allow early detection and intervention. From an infrastructure management perspective, the rapid onset and high intensity of these events challenge the effectiveness of inspection-based approaches alone. The results highlight the need to integrate meteorological monitoring and forecasting tools into bridge management frameworks, for example through the definition of rainfall thresholds and early warning systems that may support timely closure or emergency measures prior to structural impact. Overall, the proposed analyses provide a management-oriented interpretation of historical bridge failure data, offering insights to support prioritization, preparedness, and risk mitigation strategies for existing bridges increasingly exposed to extreme events. The limitations inherent to the use of an event-based database are acknowledged, and future developments should aim at integrating systematic monitoring data and predictive tools to further improve infrastructure resilience under evolving climate conditions. Acknowledgements This study was supported by FABRE – “Research consortium for the evaluation and monitoring of bridges, viaducts and other structures” (www.consorziofabre.it/en). Any opinion expressed in the paper does not necessarily reflect the view of the funder. We would like to thank Tecne S.p.A. for the financial support provided for the PhD scholarship of Alessandro Scala. We acknowledge financial support for the PhD scholarship of Fabiola Gibin provided by the European Union - NextGenerationEU (NRRP, M-4, C-1, I-4.1 – D. M. 118/2023, CUP C96E23000880001). We also acknowledge financial support from the RETURN Extended Partnership, funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU (NRRP, M-4, C-2, I-1.3 – D.D. 1243 2/8/2022, PE0000005). References Brunetti, M., Buffoni, L., Mangianti, F., Maugeri, M., Nanni, T., 2004. Temperature, precipitation and extreme events during the last century in Italy. Global and Planetary Change 40, 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8181(03)00104-8 Canuti, P., Focardi, P., Garzonio, C.A., 1985. Correlation between rainfall and landslides. Bulletin of the International Association of Engineering Geology-Bulletin de l'Association Internationale de Géologie de l'Ingénieur 32.1, 49-54. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02594765 Di Prisco, M., 2019. 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