The ABC approach for a structurally safe area

ABC-constructive-safety-bridge

How can area managers quickly and cost-effectively gain insight into the risk profile of their permanent civil engineering works? For the province of Zeeland, Iv is conducting the self-developed Structural Safety Area Assessment (ABC) on around fifty permanent bridges. The result of this ABC approach is a prioritisation of the entire area. In other words, it provides insight into the risks and consequences of each structure to make managers aware of exactly which structures pose a risk and, therefore, need to be addressed. But how does this method work?

The ABC approach quickly maps the area

Gaining insight into the structural safety of all civil engineering works in an area is an enormous and time-consuming task. With the time and budget available, it is impossible to inspect and potentially strengthen a large number of structures in the space of a year. So, how do you gain insight into the structural risks within the area as quickly as possible? Using the ABC approach, Iv can quickly map the managers’ area, identifying for each structure the probability that it will fail to meet the legal requirements for structural safety. This information helps managers fulfil their duty of care and enables them to make the most efficient use of their time and budget.

From broad to detailed

The ABC method uses a phased approach, working from broad to detailed. Gathering all available technical information to prepare an area assessment is vital. Based on this, risks and consequences are inventoried and scored, and a prioritisation of all objects is generated. The highest priority objects can then be addressed, followed by further research or a recalculation. From here, whether the object meets all the structural requirements is determined. A load test can also be performed to demonstrate the true structural strength of a bridge.

Prioritisation

The ABC method ultimately saves managers time and money. A rational assessment of the cost-effectiveness of additional effort is repeatedly made. We critically examine how we can achieve as much as possible with as few resources as possible. The prioritisation of an area provides the manager with insight into their area in the short term so that they can work in a targeted and cost-effective manner, aiming to ensure the structural safety of all objects and compliance with legislation.