Abstract
Network Rail (NR) manages over 60 000 bridge spans, many of which are more than 150 years old. Having contemporary capability information for these ageing assets is vital for the safe and effective management of the rail network. NR has never before had comprehensive, contemporary capability information, and has relied on assessments up to 18 years old. In some cases, assets did not have assessments so their ongoing performance alone was relied upon. Without reliable data on the strength of these structures it would be impossible to operate the railway safely, deliver effective maintenance, decide when repair intervention is required or plan future development of the network. This paper describes the current approach to the assessment of bridges on the railway and the innovative work that has been undertaken to improve the efficiency of assessment and deliver the considerable volume of bridge assessments required to bring strength capability information to an acceptable standard. The paper will also explore the potential of consistent data collection and recording for the better management of the asset as it inevitably deteriorates.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Bridge Engineering
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
