Ancient Stone Bridge Surveying by Ground-Penetrating Radar and Numerical Modeling Methods
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 19, Issue 1
Abstract
Bridges are considered necessary engineering structures because they connect separated lands to improve economic and social development. In Spain, many of the bridges in service within the network of transport are masonry arch bridges built in ancient times. In addition to their age, the stability of these remaining bridges is questionable because of the changing loading conditions; therefore, they require periodic assessment of the condition state. Moreover, some of these bridges are considered a part of the cultural heritage of a region, so nondestructive evaluation is required to preserve their historical character. In this work, a medieval stone bridge in the Galician territory of Spain was evaluated using ground-penetrating radar, supported by a detailed geometric survey performed through a terrestrial laser scanner. The results revealed unknown geometrical data and hidden characteristics, including the thickness of ring stones in the interior of the vault, as well as the presence of ancient arches and restorations. To assist in the interpretation, finite-difference time-domain modeling was used, where realistic models were built from the accurate geometry provided. The synthetic data obtained were compared with the field data, which allowed for the identification of unknown structural details.
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Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Grant No. BIA2009–08012) and the Spanish Center for Technological and Industrial Development (Grant No. IDI–20101770).
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 19 • Issue 1 • January 2014
Pages: 110 - 119
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 7, 2012
Accepted: Apr 5, 2013
Published online: Apr 8, 2013
Published in print: Jan 1, 2014
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