Assessment and Repair of a Fire-Damaged Pre-stressed Concrete Bridge

Guidance about the performance and repair of pre-stressed bridges is scarce, as limited research projects and guidance documents regarding concrete structures damaged by fire are available. This study reviews the methods used to investigate, assess and repair a concrete bridge, with pre-stressed precast beam construction, damaged by fire in April 2011. The aim is to increase understanding of the processes required to test, assess and repair a fire- damaged bridge. The repair process of the Dean's Brook Viaduct supports the confidence expressed in the TR68 report regarding the resilience of pre-stressed concrete structures in the face of fire damage. The experience showed that early involvement of all parties is invaluable in reducing timescales and improving the progress of the project, and careful definition of the testing regime is important for the success of repairs. It is suggested that the cost of replacing key infrastructure would merit further study on repair strategies and standardised testing necessary to assess fire-damaged structures.