Test accuracy requirements for optimal decision-making in management of post-tensioned concrete bridges

Stefano Zorzi; Francesco Rossi; Enrico Tubaldi; John Quigley; Daniele Zonta

doi:10.1177/14759217251356401

Test accuracy requirements for optimal decision-making in management of post-tensioned concrete bridges

Stefano Zorzi, Francesco Rossi, Enrico Tubaldi^*, John Quigley, Daniele Zonta

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The safety and reliability assessment of post-tensioned (PT) concrete bridges is critical to the management of the infrastructure. Assessing the structural health condition of PT concrete bridges is challenging due to the inaccessibility of prestressing systems. In combination with visual inspections, engineers rely on partially destructive and nondestructive testing to assess the health of the prestressing system of bridges. As a consequence, test outcomes often guide operator decisions on bridge management. However, the uncertainty of testing techniques can lead to suboptimal maintenance strategies and inefficient resource allocation. Thus, it should be taken into account in the decision-making process. This paper introduces a decision-making methodology based on Expected Utility Theory (EUT) to assess the accuracy requirements of tests to be convenient to operators. A practical application of the proposed methodology is shown in a real case study of a PT concrete viaduct in Italy. In this application, the assessment of the prestressing state of the viaduct is treated through strand-cutting tests.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-23
Number of pages	23
Journal	Structural Health Monitoring
Early online date	1 Sept 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/14759217251356401
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 1 Sept 2025

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The study presented in this paper was funded by: the ReLUIS Interuniversity Consortium under the agreement DPC-ReLUIS and the Superior Council of Public Works stipulated pursuant to art. 3 of the Decree of the Minister of Infrastructure no. 578 of December 17, 2020 (ReLUIS 2020-2022) and DPC-ReLUIS 2024-2026; the European Union under Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 2 CUP E53D23003560006 (HORUS).

Keywords

structural health monitoring
post-tensioned reinforced concrete bridges
decision-making
non-destructive tests
expected utility theory
value of information

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Zorzi-etal-SHM-2025-Test-accuracy-requirements-for-optimal-decision-making-in-management-ofFinal published version, 1.89 MBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

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title = "Test accuracy requirements for optimal decision-making in management of post-tensioned concrete bridges",

abstract = "The safety and reliability assessment of post-tensioned (PT) concrete bridges is critical to the management of the infrastructure. Assessing the structural health condition of PT concrete bridges is challenging due to the inaccessibility of prestressing systems. In combination with visual inspections, engineers rely on partially destructive and nondestructive testing to assess the health of the prestressing system of bridges. As a consequence, test outcomes often guide operator decisions on bridge management. However, the uncertainty of testing techniques can lead to suboptimal maintenance strategies and inefficient resource allocation. Thus, it should be taken into account in the decision-making process. This paper introduces a decision-making methodology based on Expected Utility Theory (EUT) to assess the accuracy requirements of tests to be convenient to operators. A practical application of the proposed methodology is shown in a real case study of a PT concrete viaduct in Italy. In this application, the assessment of the prestressing state of the viaduct is treated through strand-cutting tests.",

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AU - Zorzi, Stefano

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AU - Tubaldi, Enrico

AU - Quigley, John

AU - Zonta, Daniele

PY - 2025/9/1

Y1 - 2025/9/1

N2 - The safety and reliability assessment of post-tensioned (PT) concrete bridges is critical to the management of the infrastructure. Assessing the structural health condition of PT concrete bridges is challenging due to the inaccessibility of prestressing systems. In combination with visual inspections, engineers rely on partially destructive and nondestructive testing to assess the health of the prestressing system of bridges. As a consequence, test outcomes often guide operator decisions on bridge management. However, the uncertainty of testing techniques can lead to suboptimal maintenance strategies and inefficient resource allocation. Thus, it should be taken into account in the decision-making process. This paper introduces a decision-making methodology based on Expected Utility Theory (EUT) to assess the accuracy requirements of tests to be convenient to operators. A practical application of the proposed methodology is shown in a real case study of a PT concrete viaduct in Italy. In this application, the assessment of the prestressing state of the viaduct is treated through strand-cutting tests.

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Test accuracy requirements for optimal decision-making in management of post-tensioned concrete bridges

Abstract

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Keywords

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