The development of assessment models for the FlexiArch bridge system experiencing bridge scour, under loading

Modular construction methods are the future of civil engineering works programs. The FlexiArch bridge system developed at Queen’s embodies the characteristics of this modular movement which will help make the future of civil engineering more sustainable. The climate is changing and with that comes the even greater risk of bridge collapse due to bed scour caused by increasingly common flood events. Until now the structural response of a bridge under loading has been analysed independently from the hydraulic process which cause the scour.
The Queen’s Hydraulics Research Laboratory is the first to consider the key forces driving bridge collapse (the hydraulic processes and structural form under load) and not treat them separately but consider them as two interconnecting elements. Experiments carried out in this fashion on a scale model of the novel FlexiArch bridge system will make use of computer vision to record the dynamic response of the bridge under loading at various scour scenarios. This will contribute to the development of a finite element model and will form part of a package of tools which will allow key stakeholders to both analyse and prioritise bridge stock and continually monitor assets in real time which will help ensure the security of these vital pieces of infrastructure.