ORCID
0000-0002-9580-5121
Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
Eric M. Hernandez
Second Advisor
David V. Rosowsky
Abstract
Bridges are one the most critical elements in transportation infrastructure systems, subject to both gradual and sudden deterioration over their lifespan. Depending on their location, they may face a range of hazards, including marine corrosion, seismic activity, scour, waves, tsunamis, vehicle and barge collision, and other natural and man-made disasters. Consequently, during the last few years, multi-hazard analysis of these structures has gained considerable attention from researchers and practitioners. Given the complexity and time demands of analyzing multiple hazards over extended periods, it is crucial to determine when such detailed analysis is warranted.To address this question, this dissertation introduces a probabilistic computational framework designed to model time-dependent damage processes in reinforced concrete bridges and evaluate the expected system level damage throughout their service life. The analysis focuses on three primary hazards, including seismic activity, scour, and corrosion, while assuming seismic hazard as the most influential. The principal uncertainties in the modeling process involve earthquake occurrence and intensity, corrosion initiation and rate, and stream flow intensity. Utilizing Monte Carlo simulation, the framework generates hazard sequences, including earthquakes, corrosion, and scour, and examines their combined effects on bridge structures. A damage index based on the Park-Ang damage model is adopted to quantify structural damage. The damage index evolves with the age of the bridge and the cumulative impact of multiple hazards. The dissertation also evaluates and compares different health monitoring methods and schedules based on the developed damage metrics. The monitoring strategies include measuring vibrational frequency, crack width, and residual displacement of the bridge at different intervals. The dissertation further explores optimal vibration-based monitoring schedules by minimizing discrepancies between actual and predicted responses. Various bridge monitoring strategies encompassing different inspection parameters, techniques, and intervals are analyzed to balance the value of collected data against its impact on reducing risk estimation uncertainties. This methodology also provides a tool for risk-informed post-earthquake monitoring of bridges of aging reinforced concrete bridges. The proposed framework offers engineers and decision-makers valuable insights into the effectiveness of various monitoring plans and methods. Furthermore, it facilitates the management of bridges by enabling the assessment of their current condition and predicting their future state under the combined influence of multiple hazards.
Language
en
Number of Pages
223 p.
Recommended Citation
Filizadeh, Reza, "Optimal Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Reinforced Concrete Bridges under Multiple Hazards" (2025). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 2000.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/2000
