National Highways has launched a competition to find new ways to identify corrosion in steelwork that is encased in concrete.
It has set up a research project, called Structures Moonshot, focusing on two specific features in particular: the steel tendons in post-tensioned structures and reinforcement within concrete half-joints – a ‘shelf’ constructed at the end of one span to support the adjacent span.
These features can be vulnerable to deterioration but are difficult to access and often require intrusive investigations to assess the condition, sometimes involving road closures.
Colin George, National Highways’ deputy head of structures and project sponsor for Structures Moonshot, said: "Robust maintenance and inspection regimes are in place for all of our structures but if we could find new ways of detecting defects sooner it will revolutionise our bridge maintenance, safety and efficiency.
“The underlying ambition of Moonshot is to maximise the benefits of recent and rapid advances in technology, tackling the increasing challenge of managing and maintaining the safety and use of our ageing bridge stock. The aim is to reduce the number of unplanned interventions on our roads network - which will mean a better experience for road users – and ultimately to see the automation of activities traditionally undertaken by personnel on site such as inspections and monitoring.
“We want to identify the best technology that is already available on the market and try out pioneering new ideas – things we might not have even thought of yet.”
The project is being taken forward by Atkins-Jacobs Joint Venture (AJJV), which will carry out testing and research to identify the most suitable technologies for conducting advanced forms of non-destructive testing (NDT) on structures.
New ideas are being sought that may include experimenting with machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect structural defects. Solutions could range from advanced sensors, imaging technologies and machine learning algorithms.
Successful entrants will be given the opportunity to carry out real-world testing of their innovation on sample bridge sections taken from the decommissioned A14 Huntingdon railway viaduct. This will provide a platform to showcase their products to National Highways and the wider industry before the sample is demolished, which will allow participants to validate their results.
Organisations interested in trialling emerging technology and innovations should visit National Highways' competition page by 31st July 2023. Testing will take place in August.
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