Framework for investigating the effect of different design lives on the design of bridges

Many developed countries have a national road network including a significant number of bridges in need of renovation or replacement in the coming years. The reason for this is their technical and functional capacity becoming insufficient due to aging and changes in societal demands. Therefore, these bridges need to be adjusted or replaced. National authorities in The Netherlands currently require a design life of 100 years for new bridges, however nowadays it seems reasonable to have a certain flexibility for this parameter. Since the selected design life has its implications on structural solutions and choice of materials, the identification of the optimal design life for bridges seems necessary. This paper gives a summary on the issue regarding the optimum design life of bridges and it highlights the framework of the upcoming research activities.

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