Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities

Concrete bridge decks are vital components of bridges that provide the driving surface to bridge users. Partial or complete failure of this component has a significant impact on the overall performance of the bridge and, consequently, on the subsequent highway network(s). In this regard, periodical inspections are typically conducted to ensure the integrity of bridges and to determine the required maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement work. Nevertheless, current practices in inspection (i.e., visual inspection) are time-consuming and suffer from several limitations, such as subjectivity and uncertainty. In addition, visual inspection provides limited defect-detection capabilities. Therefore, nondestructive technologies (NDTs), such as impact echo, ultrasonic surface wave, half-cell potential, ground-penetrating radar, infrared thermography, and image-based techniques, have been incorporated into inspection processes to tackle such limitations. However, none of these technologies can identify all types of defects, which reveals the critical need for a comprehensive inspection system. Accordingly, several studies have incorporated multitechnology systems in the inspection process to expand defect-detection capabilities and to ensure successful inspection outcomes. Previous studies also investigated the performance criteria of different NDTs, which provide beneficial information for choosing the most effective techniques for inspection purposes. The present research aims at assessing the capabilities of different NDTs, providing an overview of the developed multitechnology systems and reviewing the main criteria to measure the performance of NDTs. The review provides insight into recent developments in the inspection process, which helps in identifying future needs in this field.

This paper presents a failure analysis of pot-type bearings on the West 8th Avenue viaduct in Denver, Colorado, and aims at determining the causes of guide bar fracture, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) peeling, and steel–steel grind. All the failure modes of the pot-type bearings resulted from the thermal response of this structure. Two finite-element models were applied in this study. One model was developed using SAP 2000 to examine the thermal effect, including transverse and longitudinal movement and vertical pressure. The other model was developed using ANSYS software and emphasized contact analysis based on stress and displacement contour plots. The purpose was to demonstrate how the components of the bearing structure interact when subjected to the movement and stress transferred from the superstructure. The results indicated that when the upper steel plate of the bearing was subjected to transverse and longitudinal movement, the excessive movement caused the guide bar to hit the steel pot. The lateral slippage of the two components occurred simultaneously, leading to the generation of steel–steel grind of the two components. Extremely large-edge contact stresses arose from the eccentrical loading on the PTFE, resulting in PTFE wear and peeling in the long term. Because the steel pot resisted the intermediate section of the guide bar, the guide bar was laterally bent. Initial cracking was induced, and low cycle fatigue loading accelerated the crack expansion in a radial plane until the guide bar fractured.

The overlaying of bridge decks has remained one of the most used rehabilitation methods to extend their service life. However, the long-term performance of overlays has not been entirely understood, and the significant challenge in studying the performance of overlays is the reason only minimal information exists and thus limits any scientific assessment of the system. This study aims to provide a strong framework and methodology for the understanding of the long-term performance of overlays and the factors affecting them. The paper discusses an extensive data collection process that lead to the development of a robust database of 133 overlaid bridge decks. The database was used in the development of a multiple regression model that provides a better understanding of the influence of the factors that affected the performance of overlays. In addition, survival fitting was conducted to estimate the service life of overlays. Preventive thin epoxy overlays were predicted to serve 18–22 years. Whereas, rehabilitative overlays, specifically latex-modified concrete, silica-fume, and very-early strength latex-modified concrete overlays, were predicted to serve 21–32 years. These results are in general agreement with earlier nationwide studies of epoxy and latex modified concrete overlays on bridge decks.

Self-anchored suspension bridges with large prestressed girders have proven to be suitable bridge structures where external anchorage systems cannot be easily provided. However, these bridges cannot overcome the major limitation that their hangers may suddenly break under hazardous circumstances, which may cause the potential risk of progressive collapse. In this paper, the effects of hanger-loss scenarios and load cases on the structural performance of the self-anchored suspension bridge are studied. To conduct the investigation, several issues related to the nonlinear dynamic simulation are presented. The results obtained from a case study on a concrete self-anchored suspension bridge show that the dynamic effects caused by the hanger-breakage event are heavily dependent on the duration of the breakage process. Compared to the sudden breakage of a single hanger, the asymmetrical loss of two hangers can cause a large torsional moment in the girder and tensile stress in hangers. The influence of load cases on the structural dynamic responses is significant, while the effect on the dynamic amplification factor (DAF) corresponding to hangers and the stiffening girder is not obvious. In addition, it is shown that structural robustness can be better enhanced with double-type hangers than with single-type hangers. Finally, several useful recommendations are proposed for concrete self-anchored suspension bridges to improve structural safety and avoid progressive failure of hangers.

Bridge load rating provides a standardized procedure to determine the safe load-carrying capacity of a bridge, thereby allowing engineers to establish posting and permitting requirements. The structural condition of components, material properties, loads, and traffic conditions all contribute to the load rating, which describes the capacity of the controlling component of the structure. The primary purpose of bridge load rating is to ensure public safety. The bridge industry has permitted nondestructive load testing, at the discretion of the owner, to establish the safe load-carrying capacity of a given bridge when coupled with analysis and sound engineering judgment. The direct measure of structural response through diagnostic live load testing is viewed as a more accurate method of determining capacity and requires minimal assumptions regarding load distribution. Diagnostic live load testing often results in higher loading postings when compared to traditional analysis because of the elimination of conservative assumptions. A number of data acquisition (DAQ) systems are available for implementation in the load rating process. When correctly implemented, the systems provide an improved understanding of the live load response. Furthermore, deferring repair or replacement through diagnostic load testing can deliver immediate and long-term cost savings. As such, implementation of a diagnostic load testing program may have significant short- and long-term paybacks for both bridge owners and users. The current study employed three DAQ systems to demonstrate how diagnostic load testing can be used to augment traditional load rating procedures. The study revealed that diagnostic load testing of a rural, simple-span steel girder bridge resulted in an improved load rating of 273%, refining the test truck inventory rating from 1.5 to 4.1. Similarly, diagnostic load testing of a rural, simple-span steel pony truss bridge resulted in an improved load rating of 170%, going from a test truck inventory rating of 4.5 to 7.6. Analysis of the field-collected data demonstrated the improved ratings were attributable to a number of factors not considered during traditional load rating, such as site-specific factors and contribution of nonstructural components as well as a true measure of the dynamic amplification, load distribution, and composite action. The positive results showcase the possible improvement to load rating by using diagnostic load testing as compared to traditional load rating procedures, leading to a safer bridge inventory.

In New Mexico, bridges without plans are currently an issue as in other states in the US. Standard techniques cannot be used for load rating due to the lack of design plans that contain necessary information such as material properties and the amount and location of mild steel reinforcement. In this study, state departments of transportation were surveyed regarding their load rating policies and procedures for planless bridges. Many states reported a significant number of bridges without plans, in particular reinforced concrete bridges, and the rating approaches for such bridges vary from state to state. This project was conducted for the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) to develop an effective method to load rate reinforced concrete slab bridges without plans and obtain more representative estimates of load-carrying capacity. In New Mexico, 46 reinforced concrete slab bridges (simple and continuous span) were load rated and evaluated using simple analytical and nondestructive testing techniques. The procedure includes field measurements of the bridge dimensions and geometry, Windsor Probe testing of the concrete strength, scanning of the embedded steel reinforcement, generation of the as-built drawings, and modeling the bridge with a load rating software. The procedure provided the NMDOT with as-built plans as well as more realistic load rating results for their reinforced concrete slab bridges without design plans. The rating results for the 46 New Mexico bridges are presented in this paper and comparisons are made with other state policies to illustrate the differences in the load ratings.

The definition of models to evaluate the durability of buildings can be a challenging task due to the large set of variables, and their complexity, which affect the performance and durability of buildings. Recently, several methodologies have been developed to predict the service life of buildings and their components. The knowledge acquired through these models allowed for the adopting of more rational and sustainable solutions. This study proposes the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to estimate the service life of ceramic claddings of buildings in Brasília, Brazil. The variables that impact the service life of these claddings are identified through a stepwise regression analysis. Based on these variables, an ANN model was created to evaluate the degradation of ceramic claddings. The validity of the models proposed, a multiple linear regression (MLR) model and an ANN model, is discussed as well as the physical sense of the results obtained. According to similar studies and the empirical knowledge linked to the degradation of ceramic tile claddings, the models proposed lead to coherent results.

On September 21, 1999, at 1:47 a.m., Taiwan was shaken by a magnitude 7.3 Chi-Chi earthquake, the most severe one on this island in the past 100 years. The National Chi Nan University (NCNU), located in Puli, Nantou County in central Taiwan, suffered a significant landslide because it is in the worst-hit location and with the worst geological structure. During the earthquake, a massive amount of soil collapsed from a slope that measures 250 m in width and 80 m in height, blocking the entrance to NCNU completely. A failure investigation and dynamic simulation of the reinforced slope/wall were conducted by the finite element software PLAXIS with the time history of acceleration recorded near the site during the Chi-Chi earthquake. The seismic source is assigned on the lower boundary of the finite element mesh. The Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model is used for geological materials. The results indicate that the soil mass and reinforced slope/wall above the weak boundary moves at a greater scale compared to that below the dip plane. The principal directions of displacement of the mesh above and below the dip plane are different, which also indicates that the simulated failure plane occurs along the dip plane. For renovation work, instead of using the traditional concrete structures, the designer, in consideration of environmental sustainability, adopted some green measures. The measures included roadway alignment adjustment, soil nails, a vegetated reinforced soil slope/wall with wraparound facing, and geoweb with vegetation. Completed in 2002, this project withstood several major typhoons and earthquakes in the past 17 years. It has been proved successful in terms of sustainability factors, such as safety, durability, reliability, ecology, landscape, reduction of waste, and carbon emission.

A reinforced concrete building in Konya, Turkey, collapsed suddenly on February 2, 2004, and 92 residents died. This case study was performed to determine the alternate load paths and failure mechanism of the building. The essence of a forensic engineering investigation of a construction failure is to determine the failure mechanisms by using the procedural causes and contributing factors. The building behavior under the sudden loss of ground-story columns and various scenarios of column removal was assessed. The site works and stepwise nonlinear analysis were applied to get the failure mechanism of the collapsed building. The lessons learned from this case study forensic investigation are discussed, and the construction and project errors beneath the collapse are identified. Torsion is not a desired first mode of dynamic behavior. The progressive collapse of the RC building was the torsional mode. In building due to architectural needs, i.e., lack of the beam in exterior frames, discontinuities in the three-dimensional (3D) structural framing and very low bonds existed in the RC beams, resulting in an improper redistribution of the forces.

Previously developed seismic risk management frameworks generally aid decision makers in determining a specific retrofit strategy. In contrast, the decision-making framework (DMF) proposed herein is used to assist property portfolio managers to determine whether a particular building should be retrofitted in the first place as part of a more holistic facilities asset management planning process. A DMF was developed to help assist in such portfolio decision-making, which is necessary for governing agencies such as municipalities due to the size and diversity of their portfolios and to the need to have a semiobjective process in place to investigate and manage the seismic risk exposure of their portfolios in an efficient manner. The need for this standard decision-making process stems from growing regulations worldwide imposed on publicly owned facilities for risk reduction as well as the need to more efficiently allocate resources to manage large public service facility portfolios with limited budgets. Input criteria for the proposed DMF include heritage value, Council “appetite,” and financial costs. Based on other peer governing agencies’ seismic regulations and ordinances, these three major input criteria were further broken down into various subcomponents that can be incorporated into the DMF to guide decision makers to the most efficient mitigation option in a consistent and objective fashion. Four mitigation options may be pursued following the logic flow of the DMF: retrofit/strengthen, demolish/rebuild, sell/divest, and do nothing. Policies for “retrofit triggers” used by peer municipalities may also be imposed, and benchmarking was carried out against peer governing agencies in California, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts. It is recommended that the DMF proposed herein created using criteria deemed essential by its utilizing stakeholders be used for an initial sorting of a large number of properties; then benefit-cost analysis can be used to refine the sorting of buildings to most efficiently allocate resources. An example building in Auckland, New Zealand, was considered in the context of the proposed DMF, and the conclusion drawn for the example was to sell or divest the facility, representing a unique outcome relative to the available outputs of other existing seismic risk reduction programs.

This paper focuses on the maintenance decision of vulnerable parts that need rehabilitating within the design service period under repetitive vehicular loads in steel bridges based on the time-variant performance deterioration and life-cost optimization. A practical life-cost reliability-based method was developed to characterize the performance deterioration of critical parts without and with maintenance, and then evaluate maintenance strategies according to life-cost indicators. The time-variant reliability index was mathematically derived according to the damage accumulation rule and life-cost optimization was established to determine the optimal maintenance strategy using particle swarm optimization. The developed method was effectively applied in the optimization analysis of the tube–gusset connection. Four maintenance measures, including plug welding, drilling the crack-stop hole, the welding plate, and changing the bolted channel–gusset connection, were used in longitudinal truss diaphragms of the Second Nanjing Yangzi Bridge and analyzed in a single form and in combination, respectively. It is observed that a single maintenance cannot protect the tube–gusset connection from damage failure within the expected service life (i.e., 100 years) for the restriction on the maintenance frequency, while the combined maintenances with bolted channel–gusset connection do much better than those with welded plate in protecting the detail from damage failure. The optimization results can provide an important basis for maintenance and design, where the optimal maintenance is effectively addressed.

Tie bars on through tied arch bridges are often in poor condition and may serve as an external cause of a tie-bar failure accident; nevertheless, bridge structural robustness contributes greatly in resisting progressive collapse, and poor robustness tends to be the essential internal cause of possible accident. To study the dynamic effect of tie-bar failure of a through tied arch bridge and to reveal the mechanism of how structural robustness reduces dynamic effects, a finite-element model of a typical rigid-frame through tied arch bridge is developed based on the most adverse tie-bar breaking time, a transient-unloading method with equivalent load is adopted to analyze the dynamic response of tie-bar failure, and the results under different working conditions are compared. Furthermore, parameter analysis of the arch-to-pier stiffness ratio is conducted for the dynamic-amplification effect. The results indicate that both the pier and the arch rib have significant dynamic-amplification effects with respect to tie-bar breakage, and the remaining tie bars are the most vulnerable elements of the bridge; thus, they should be considered the most important elements when conducting tie-bar failure analysis; the most adverse breaking time adopted in cable breakage analysis can be taken as $0.01T$; a greater arch-to-pier stiffness ratio is beneficial to reduce the dynamic response brought on by tie-bar breakage; therefore, a rigid-frame through tied arch bridge should be designed with a large pier thrust stiffness, while a simply supported tied arch bridge should not be used in future through arch bridges, and existing ones should be retrofitted as soon as possible.

This study involves examining a second technique for improving external prestressing tendons to remediate the deflection and cracking of an 18-year-old strengthened four-span continuous post-tensioned prestressed concrete (PT) box-girder bridge. First, a forensic examination of the bridge after the first remediation is conducted. The degradation of the bridge, including vertical deflection, prestress loss, cracking, and pavement damage, is investigated. The reasons for the degradation are discussed and some recommendations are given. Then a second remediation is proposed to improve the performance of the bridge; this includes the replacement of pavement, external post-tensioning, attachment of steel plates, and sealing cracks. Finally, the service-level behavior of the beam, before and after the second remediation, was evaluated using the static and dynamic loading tests in situ. The effectiveness of the remediation on deterring deflection and cracking of the bridge is discussed. Results show that the carrying capacity, stiffness, and integrality of the bridge were improved significantly after the latest remediation. Concrete strains and vertical deflections on the tested section of the bridge decreased by about 15% and 18%, respectively, compared with that before the remediation under a similar load. The dynamic response of the remediated bridge was also improved, as indicated by the increased frequency of the vertical modes of ambient tests.

In North America, common practices in bridge condition assessment include visual inspection and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques, and results are reported as condition ratings of the bridge components. Assigning a specific condition rating to the component is a difficult task, especially when the threshold values defining the borderlines between the different ratings are not specified. These thresholds are subjectively assigned based on the judgment and experience of the inspector or expert, and can influence decisions on maintenance, repair, and replacement (MRR) of bridges and impact their safety and serviceability. Quality inspection data and accurate condition assessment and rating are the basis for determining appropriate MRR decisions. Thus, in this paper, a novel quality function deployment (QFD)-based approach for assessing bridges is proposed to develop an integrated condition rating based on data collected from visual inspection and ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology, while identifying clear thresholds between the different ratings. The $k$-means clustering technique, used to define the rating thresholds, is one of the unsupervised learning algorithms that solves the subjective determination of the threshold values problem. This work used four case studies on bridges in the Province of Quebec. The integrated condition model produced ratings of 0.48, 0.49, 0.37, and 0.15 for the four case studies. The developed rating model represented by an integrated condition index was validated with an average validity percentage greater than 81%. The proposed method is expected to advance the state of the art for bridge condition assessment and rating by providing an objective means for making proper MRR decisions.

Concern for structural safety assurance has become more prominent in recent times in developing countries like Bangladesh because of structural failures. The Rana Plaza collapse of 2013 is an example of such structural failure. Based on postdamage analysis, the root cause of the structural failure of Rana Plaza has been identified as progressive collapse. Given the prevalence of ready-made garment (RMG) buildings and the large numbers of people associated with these facilities, proper evaluation of the structural safety of these buildings is essential, especially for signs of progressive collapse. This work aimed to quantitatively evaluate the behavior of typical RMG buildings with low-to-moderate concrete strength, focusing on progressive collapse. A comprehensive survey was conducted on existing RMG buildings to identify the prevalent design parameters. Consequently, a representative sample size was generated based on identified parameters. Afterward, finite element analysis of randomly selected structures from the generated samples was conducted to determine demand–capacity ratios (DCRs) of RMG buildings for three limit states corresponding to three cases of column removal. Subsequently, computed DCR values were organized in developing fragility curves and generalized graphs for each limit case, as simplified indicators of proneness toward progressive collapse for any relevant structure, without any requirement for complex numerical computations.

Deterioration of concrete structures is imminent with time, especially those subjected to the harsh environment in places like North America. The high cost associated with the replacement of these concrete structures has called for the development of innovative ways in which these structures can be rehabilitated effectively in a sustainable way without a huge economic burden. Several ways to repair deteriorated concrete structures have been developed over the years; however, some of these repair methods are expensive and not effective. Also, several innovative methods and materials have been studied in the past years; however, these materials and methods are limited to laboratory applications. To foster a sustainable and economic way of rehabilitating concrete structures, various basalt fiber products that have been extensively evaluated in the laboratory at the University of Windsor were used for rehabilitation of field concrete structures. Two concrete bridges located in Ontario, Canada, were selected for the case studies. Different types of basalt fiber products—chopped fibers, fabric, mesh, and rebar—were used to rehabilitate these existing structures. The field study shows that the use of basalt products is a sustainable and economical method for the rehabilitation of deteriorated reinforced concrete structures.

Three structures were monitored during a nearby controlled implosion of two 13-story reinforced concrete buildings. The controlled implosion included localized blasts on alternate floor levels, which initiated the progressive collapse of the buildings. Instrumentation was placed throughout the three nearby structures as well as at the ground level, which recorded a peak ground acceleration (PGA) of $0.077\mathrm{g}$ and peak particle velocity of $16.3\mathrm{mm}/\mathrm{s}$. The controlled implosion yielded two distinct ground motions, which were separated by an approximately $1.5\text{-}\mathrm{s}$ temporal gap, where one ground motion was due to the localized blasts within the buildings and the other to the progressive collapse of the buildings. The finite time gap between the 2 ground motions is attributed to the redistribution of loads within the two 13-story structures before the onset of progressive collapse. The resulting ground motions and the response of the nearby structures to both the blast and the collapse are presented and analyzed in the time and frequency domains. The results emphasize the higher frequency content of the blast-induced ground motions compared to the collapse-induced ground motions. In addition, the two closest adjacent structures were analyzed with respect to the recorded ground motions at each site for both the blast-induced and collapse-induced ground motions. Despite large amplitudes during the blast-induced ground motions, the high-frequency content was insufficient to excite the nearby structures. On the contrary, the lower-frequency collapse-induced ground motions resulted in horizontal accelerations at the roof level of the nearby structures with fundamental natural frequencies between 2.6 and 4.9 Hz on the order of $0.07–0.08\mathrm{g}$.

On June 12, 2017, at 1528 local time (1228 GMT), an earthquake of magnitude $M_W=6.2$ occurred, its epicenter in the Aegean Sea (south of Lesvos Island), approximately 23 km to the north of Izmir’s district of Karaburun. The impact of the earthquake left structures in various states of damage, particularly in the town of Vrissa on Lesvos. The types of damage occurring in the buildings of stone masonry in the town of Vrissa, the damage mechanisms, levels of damage and causes of the damage, as well as the relationship between structural characteristics and damage mechanisms have been evaluated in this paper. It was seen in the field investigations that the heavily damaged, partially collapsed, and totally collapsed buildings were generally nonengineered structures. Additionally, the various limitations and dimensional requirements of the Turkish Earthquake Code had not been applied to the damaged masonry buildings in Vrissa. Lower levels of damage had been sustained in masonry buildings in the earthquakes recorded in Elazığ, Van, and Ayvacık, where peak ground acceleration values of strong ground motions were even higher. This was mainly due to the structural characteristic of the houses of Vrissa that rendered a weak connection between the stone external walls and the internal separating walls of the orthogonal wooden construction on the upper floors. The length of the unsupported load-bearing stone external wall was over the limit specified by the Turkish Earthquake Code, which was the fundamental factor that increased the destructibility of the Vrissa houses.

This paper presents the systematic use of numerical analysis as a tool for addressing some of the most common challenges encountered in the structural analysis of complex historical masonry structures, that is, the description of the effects of history-related phenomena and the uncertainty of material properties. The numerical strategy is based on the use of a constitutive model able to describe time-dependent strain accumulation, as well as damaging behavior under different stress states. This constitutive model is combined with a crack-tracking technique to represent tensile crack localization. The numerical model is applied to the study of two important monuments in Spain; the Mallorca Cathedral and the church of the Poblet Monastery. The staged construction analysis of the first case study allows for understanding the reasons of its current deformed condition, that is, critical construction process, strain accumulation given by long-term creep phenomena, and nonlinear geometric effects. The structural analysis of the second case study allows the structural diagnosis of the existing deformation and cracking patterns given by architectural alterations, insufficient buttressing of the naves, and past earthquakes. The application of a probabilistic analysis to the church of the Poblet monastery allows for considering the effects of the uncertainties of material properties and numerical parameters in the seismic vulnerability assessment.

The precise determination of reinforcement rebar information of constructed facilities is a significant challenge faced by many practitioners in the areas of structural health monitoring (SHM), facility management (FM), and building maintenance and operation. Practitioners commonly use ground penetrating radar (GPR) to determine the horizontal location, depth, and size of rebar based on the reflections in GPR data. However, due to inherent difficulties within the GPR data, such as the unknown time zero, the existence of strong noise, and the blurry signals, simultaneously and accurately determining all three parameters is a challenging task. To tackle this issue, this paper proposes an integrated approach based on pattern recognition and curve-fitting principles to simultaneously determine rebar’s horizontal location, depth, and size. The presented method has been validated on several scanning trials of a shear wall in an in-service concrete structure. Results of conducting the experiments are promising and reveal that (1) the proposed method can identify the zero offset within the GPR scan, eliminate the noise impact in the GPR signal, and extract critical rebar information from the attenuated signal; (2) by implementing through a real-world application, this integrated method could successfully solve the coupling issue and simultaneously determine rebar’s horizontal location, depth, and size; (3) the rebars’ horizontal locations in the test scenarios are consistent, with mean absolute errors of measured depths and sizes of 6.73% and 6.19%, respectively; and (4) considering a range of each rebar size, all rebars are measured correctly.

This study investigates full-depth deck cracks observed on a skewed bridge, which was constructed using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). To investigate the causes, three main factors associated with structural design, material design, and construction are reviewed. Specifically, the bridge performance under thermal and construction loading is investigated by conducting a nonlinear finite-element analysis. The analysis parameters include bridge deck geometry, boundary conditions, bearing details, and skew angles. The loading conditions mainly include thermal and differential deck movements induced during an SPMT move. The results are compared to a crack map created from two site visits. It is concluded that skewed decks are more susceptible to cracking than straight decks due to an asymmetric expansion and contraction. Additionally, semi-integral abutment designs in a skewed bridge increase the extent of cracking in the skewed corners of the abutment ends. It is recommended that a semi-integral abutment design be carefully considered when designing a skewed bridge and that bearing and expansion joint details need careful attention for accelerated bridge construction.

The very severe cyclone (VSC), Hudhud, in October 2014 was the strongest storm event to hit any Indian city. Starting as a tropical storm in the Bay of Bengal, VSC Hudhud demonstrated a unique climate phenomenon that resulted in a massive snow dump in Nepal ($\mathrm{1,200}\mathrm{km}$ away from the Bay). This paper reports the damage assessment outcomes of structures in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) of Andhra Pradesh, India. From 114 structures analyzed, the outcomes indicated unique wind damage distributions in Vizag. This paper provides firsthand evidence of a likely sustained wind force that carried its water contents further inland and a possible demonstration of a multihazard, multiregion effect of a single extreme cyclone.

Highway agencies around the world are looking into adopting cost-effective and accurate methods for assessing the condition of their infrastructure network. In such an effort, agencies explore alternative testing methods that can be used for assessing (1) as-built construction quality, and (2) in-service condition of bridges. Such information is crucial in bridge management systems (BMS) for managing the vast network of bridges and making wise and cost-effective decisions on maintenance and rehabilitation. Following the catastrophic collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Italy in 2018, bridge inspections were intensified for those in the lower condition category, like the one investigated herein. In this study, an old prestressed bridge deck in poor condition was surveyed with ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The bridge is located in the southeastern portion of Sicily, Italy. It was the objective of the study to assess the current conditions in terms of (1) asphalt overlay thickness, and (2) depth and potential deterioration of the reinforcement. The methodology and analysis used in this study confirmed the ability and reliability of GPR in assessing such conditions and thus could be used elsewhere to carry out such inspections.