What emergency actions should be taken when inspections and monitoring reveal a critical problem?
During an inspection or a structural monitoring process, a bridge may be revealed to have a structural problem that compromises the safety of the structure. Moreover, after a natural catastrophe or due to a fortuitous accident (car crash, for example), a bridge may also suffer severe damage which is evident and may compromise the safety of the structure.
In either case, these circumstances result in situations that require immediate intervention to ensure the safety of the area, safeguard the integrity of workers, users, and third parties affected, as well as to prevent damage to neighbouring constructions.
As soon as possible, the owner and the manager of the structure must be notified so that they are aware of the situation and can take the appropriate measures. Besides, the inspection works will be stopped immediately, until it is determined how to proceed.
Qualified experts, with experience in the identified structural problems, need to be consulted to determine how to proceed. On the one hand, it will be necessary to determine the need to shore up and prop up the areas where the problems have arisen, as well as any adjacent constructions, or part of them, in case they may have been affected, to ensure the safety of the bridge and avoid possible collapses until permanent measures are taken.
On the other hand, it will be necessary to assess whether it is necessary to suspend public access to the bridge until it is repaired, or even if it is needed to immediately evacuate it and the adjacent constructions if the experts consider that the situation requires it. As so, traffic detour will be necessary to implement.
Furthermore, given the instability and uncertainty of the situation, when shoring and propping up, if required, it will be essential to keep only the essential personnel onsite to stabilise the situation.
