ABSTRACT
The Yelcho Bridge is the first cable-stayed bridge designed and built in Chile during the 1980s. The bridge is located in Los Lagos Region about 1,000 km from Santiago, and it includes two concrete frame towers and a main span over 150 m. During the last years, due to a lack of a maintenance program, the owner has had several uncertainties about deficiencies and the structural safety condition. In 2017, a new preliminary maintenance program and analysis was carried out, concluding that a detailed inspection and a diagnostic analysis study are required. This paper provides the results of this study on the Yelcho Bridge, including 5 stages, namely background studies, general and detailed inspection in order to define the current condition, topography and stay-stress survey, structural analysis and conclusion related to the safety and damage index.
