Regular and thorough bridge inspection can prevent accidents and increase the service life of the structure being inspected. Bridge failures and tragedies from the past have made the government and public concerned about the conditions of existing and even newly built structures. As a result, many new technologies have been introduced to try to properly inspect these structures. There is one industry that has been around forever and just now being adapted to large structures. The nondestructive testing industry once limited to in house testing of materials is now the best method of enhancing the accuracy of inspection result, reduce the inspection time and increase the safety of the crew and public during bridge inspection.
Drone inspections are one of the newly introduced technologies which has reduced the cost and time of inspection significantly. To understand this, let's take an example. Suppose a bridge inspection costs around $10,000 and requires a full crew to perform a complete inspection in 4-5 days. With a drone, the similar kind of inspection can be done at more than 50% less time and with a significant cost savings. In addition the safety of the inspection crew and the public is at a much lower risk of loss of life. Sounds amazing, isn't it!
What kind of data does a drone collects?
During a drone inspection, both visual and thermal imagery data is collected for real-time assessment as well as for later use. An automated statistical process is used to convert the imagery data into a 3D ‘point cloud' which is easy to understand. A skilled bridge inspector can easily interpret the data and identify the locations of deteriorations on the bridge. Since the drone-collected data is geo-referenced with real geographic coordinates, therefore, a map can be easily created for the inspection crew to inspect the drone located deterioration areas closely.
How is it different from conventional bridge inspection methods?
During traditional bridge inspection, crew members have to climb ladders, perform scaffolding, undertake rope access procedures and/ or place a snooper or bucket truck on the bridge to reach the areas and components required to be inspected. These practices carry risks and take a huge amount of time. The bridge also needs to close down partially or completely to carry the inspection. More frequent than not accidents occur with heavy equipment on the bridge. With the introduction of drones, overall bridge inspection can be done in a fraction of the time taken by any inspection personnel. The inspection can be done in minutes instead of hours and the benefit of monitoring deterioration progression over time is invaluable.
Infrastructure Preservation Corporation (IPC) is providing inspection services for decades and is a trusted name in bridge and road inspection. We utilize advanced nondestructive testing methods and robotics like Drones for quick surveying and drone inspection of complex structures. We have a range of patented inspection system for customized inspection of important bridge elements. In many cases we have moved past drones and have created robotics to perfect many of the bridge component inspections. Go to www.infrastructurepc.com to find out more or email info@infrastructurepc.com.
Contact us or write an email to us to get a free estimate for your infrastructure inspection. You can log on to our site www.infrastructurepc.com to know more about our services and products. You can provide your details at our site and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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