INSPIRE UTC Creates Novel Robots that Mimic Human Inspectors for Contact Bridge Inspection
The primary goal of bridge inspection is to ensure that structures are safe for the travelling public. In recent years, inspection data have been increasingly used to support a more proactive approach of asset management such that structures are not only safe but also maintained for a minimal life-cycle cost. The broadening of inspection scope requires a significant shift in practice from fully visual inspection to partially visual inspection supplemented with advanced technologies such as remote sensing and nondestructive evaluation. These technologies enable the implementation of objective decision-making processes in asset management and the understanding of infrastructure resilience.
In current practices, human inspectors (or divers for underwater operation) are required to be physically close (e.g., 0.5 m) to potential defect and damage areas. At close distances, they can tap members for concrete delamination, scrape/cleanse surfaces for steel corrosion, conduct nondestructive tests for steel crack, and examine bridge foundations for flow erosion.