Bridge management systems

Bridges cannot last forever. Whatever form of construction is used and

whatever materials are adopted, sooner or later the effects of degradation

begin to appear. There are many contributory factors that affect the nature

and degree of degradation such as the structural form, construction mate-

rials, quality of construction, design and detailing, atmospheric environ-

ment, scour, fire, fatigue, earthquakes, floods, weather, and nature and

intensity of the imposed traffic loading.