BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURE IN SECONDARY ROADS OF ANTIOQUIA BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURE IN SECONDARY ROADS OF ANTIOQUIA

Abstract

Roads are the main tool for business and economic development of a region. Bridge failures cause interruptions in normal traffic and ground shipping of goods, producing incalculable losses while normal traffic is restored. Antioquia has one of the most extensive road networks in Colombia with a large number of bridges that make up its road infrastructure assets. Many of these bridges have not been properly maintained since their construction, which can cause structural failures and even the possibility of collapse. An inventory of all bridges in secondary roads in the Department of Antioquia identified the main physical parameters of each bridge, the building type, the structure type, and the current level of damage. The inventory showed that reinforced concrete is the most common structural type used in bridges, of lengths most commonly between 5m and 10m, of which 11% require immediate intervention due to the level of damage in their structure, while 48% of them are functioning properly.