PSI - Issue 84

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 1–8

© 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference Keywords: post–tensioned bridges; inspection; risk assessment; regulatory frameworks. Abstract Post tensioned bridge structures represent a key element in the modern infrastructure engineering, offering strength, durability, and versatility for complex crossings. However, such structures may exhibit critical defects, such as concrete degradation, reinforcement corrosion, and prestress losses, which compromise their safety and longevity. A thorough analysis of these defects is essential for planning maintenance interventions. This paper first provides a concise introduction to post–tensioned prestressed concrete bridge typologies, deterioration mechanisms, and diagnostic pathways. It then presents a structured comparison of regulatory frameworks for existing bridges the Italian "Guidelines for the Classification and Management of Risk, Safety Assessment, and Monitoring of Existing Bridges", issued in 2020 by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT), and international reference standards, such as those from the United States (AASHTO), from France (CEREMA) or from the Netherlands (Rijkswaterstaat, Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat). Finally, a set of bridge decks with longitudinal and cross beams is assessed under each framework to highlight differences in design approaches, inspection criteria, and structural analysis methodologies, emphasizing strengths and weaknesses. The case studies were then analysed using custom–developed tools to validate the regulatory methods and propose improvement strategies. III Fabre Conference: Existing Bridges, Viaducts, and Tunnels: Research, Innovation, and Applications Inspection and risk assessment of post–tensioned concrete bridges: a comparative analysis between the 2020 Italian Guidelines and International Standards Chiara Galatà*, Edoardo Proverbio Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Messina 98158, Italy

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 3779838734; E–mail address: chiara.galata@studenti.unime.it

2452-3216 © 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference 10.1016/j.prostr.2026.06.001