LifeExt2-Implementation

Purpose and goal

The purpose of the project is to remove the last obstacles to be able to implement the life-extension methods developed in the previous LifeExt project on steel bridges and to achieve major cost and environmental savings. The goals are to: - develop methods for quality assurance of life-enhancing methods; HFMI & TIG - develop treatment strategies and procedures for HFMI & TIG on a bridge - assess, plan, treat and quality assure a bridge with the LifeExt methods - develop a basis for and work with updating of TRV´s regulations - write guidelines for quality assurance and develop user training

Expected results and effects

The effects that the project provides are large cost and environmental savings because the steel bridges will have a longer fatigue life through the LifeExt treatments. Also the load capacity can be increased with these methods, new bridges don´t have to be built as often, which in turn reduces CO2 emissions, materials and construction costs. Road user costs (downtime and traffic disruptions) can be reduced with longer lives and fewer occasions needed for maintenance. The methods are scalable thus they can generally be applied to most steel structures that are exposed to fatigue loads.

Planned approach and implementation

The project is divided into five work packages (AP). In AP1 the requirements are set and a bridge to treat with life-extension (LE) techniques is selected. In AP 2, the LE methods are planned and both specimens and the selected bridge are treated with the methods. AP 3 is about quality assurance of LE methods including non-destructive testing (NDT) both before, during and after LE treatments. Modeling and prediction of the LE methods as well as analysis of the results from treatments on the bridge are included in AP 4. AP 5 consists of project management, writing guidelines and dissemination.