BriFace

BriFace (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018): Novel assessment of bridge retrofitting measures through Interface Efficiency Indices (InterFeis) using a Guided Wave-based monitoring method
(Grant agreement ID: 845549)

PI: Dr Stergios A Mitoulis  |  Marie-Curie Research Fellow: Dr Dimitra V Achillopoulou

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/223811/factsheet/en

Industrial Partners:  Annika Baier, Sika A.G. (Switzerland),

Dr Telemechos Panagiotakos, Denco Structural Eng. P.C. (Greece)

roadmap for sustainable and resilient infrastructure (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141001) 

Objectives: 

1) To define the Interface Efficiency Indices,

2) To utilize an expedient, long-distant inspection method of guided waves for the first time in bridge inspection,

3) To increase the interface efficiency by chemical means potentially by using nanoparticles and

4) To use InterFeis as a reliable indicator toward the quantification of the redundancy of the retrofitted bridge, as a means to assess its capacity and thus its resilience.

The research outcomes will also benefit stakeholders and fuel bridge design guidelines and align them with the EU strategy on infrastructural safety and resilience.

How monitoring can enhance resilience:

“Modernisation of our deficient transportation networks and in particular bridges is a pressing requirement imposed by the growing EU economy, vital to societal coherence and safety. Frequent retrofitting solutions include the use of versatile Fiber Reinforced Polymers systems (FRPs). Nevertheless, it is surprising that only a few research results and international design guidelines are available for assessing the efficiency of FRP systems used on bridge retrofitting schemes“.

In response to the above urgent need we deliver solutions by:

• quantifying the redundancy of bridges to increasing traffic loads
• enabling monitoring-driven rapid assessments of retrofitting measures
• providing expedient, long-distant inspection methods for any transport asset
• utilising nano-materials in an effort to exploit smart techniques in transport asset strengthening schemes

Selected references and events:

1. Achillopoulou DV (2019). BriFace: Novel assessment of bridge retrofitting measures through Interface Efficiency Indices (InterFeis) using a Guided Wave-based monitoring. Presentation in the Young’s Engineers Session- International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering Congress: ‘The Evolving Metropolis’ New York, September 4-6. (Shortlisted for the award)
2. Achillopoulou DV, Mitoulis SA, Argyroudis SA, Wang Y (2020). Monitoring of transport infrastructure exposed to multiple hazards: A roadmap for building resilience. Science of the Total Environment, 746, 141001.
3. Achillopoulou DV, Mitoulis SA and Stamataki NK (2020). Resilient Monitoring of the Structural Performance of Reinforced Concrete Bridges using Guided Waves. IABMAS 2020: 10^th International conference on Bridge Maintenance, Safety and Management, Sapporo, Japan.
4. Argyroudis SA, Achillopoulou DV, Livina V and Mitoulis SA, Data-driven resilience assessment for transport infrastructure exposed to multiple hazards by integrating multiscale terrestrial and airborne monitoring systems. IABMAS 2020: 10^th International conference on Bridge Maintenance, Safety and Management, Sapporo, Japan.
5. Achillopoulou DV and Mitoulis SA  (2020), The role of monitoring in making infrastructure sustainable and resilient. IABSE Congress Christchurch 2020, New Zealand (accepted abstract).

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