Monitoring the Health of Aging Structures
By Marcus Lehner, MS, BSCE, Project Manager
Much of the infrastructure across the United States is approaching or exceeding its original design life. The average bridge is now over 40 years old, with many highway overpasses approaching or exceeding their original design life of 50 years. Large suspension bridges, while often designed for longer lifespans, also face increasing maintenance demands as key components age and traffic loads grow. At the same time, buildings and dams constructed decades ago are operating under higher loads and greater environmental stress...