Contribuciones para la Evaluación de Puentes en la República Argentina

Abstract

An analysis of the condition of 173 bridges of the argentinian national highway is presented in this paper. These bridges have been surveyed and evaluated by the National Highway Agency, which identified the main type of pathologies that affect the bridges of Argentina.
Proposals for the modification and/or improvement of the assessment methodology of bridge currently used in the Argentine Republic are presented. The observations and recomendations for possible improvements are based on more frequent pathologies and comparative analysis of results and experience of applying the Argentine metodology and the current methodology used in United States to two bridges, one of reinforced concrete and the other made of steel.
The proposed changes include modifications in the routine inspection sheets and in the procedures of analytical and experimental evaluation. In the same way, observations on the assesment methodology of the bridges conditions were done.