PSI - Issue 84

Alessandro Pucci et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 433–440

437

The clustering of defects is performed automatically based on the planned repair intervention type, potentially aggregating defects from different defect categories whenever the prescribed restoration intervention could be the same.

Fig. 2. Extraction of defects detected on a pier, distinguished according to their category and their automatic attribution to the pier main views (CEA).

The clustering distance threshold can therefore be user-defined, depending on the required level of cost optimization (the finer the clustering detail, the smaller the restored surface area and, consequently, the lower the cost of required materials – Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. Example of clustering of defects based on the planned repair intervention types (CEA).

3. Case-study The case-study used to demonstrate the potential of this tool, is a major motorway viaduct located in Italy. Owing to its age, length, and strategic role, the viaduct represents a representative case study for the assessment, inspection, and long-term management of existing large-scale motorway bridges.