IRF-IC’s 9th Webinar on the subject “Capacity Augmentation & Service Life Enhancement of Bridges” – Managing assets for maximizing service life and serviceability demands innovative and modern technologies

IRF India Chapter organized its 9th Webinar of the webinar series, titled “Capacity Augmentation & Service Life Enhancement of Bridges” – Managing assets for maximizing service life and serviceability demands innovative and modern technologies” on 13th May 2025 from 16:00 – 17:30 Hrs. The Webinar was attended by Road Safety Professionals, Research Scholars, Corporates, Highway Engineers, Road Planners, Academician, etc.

Prof. P.K. Sikdar, Advisor, IRF-IC, introduced and invited the moderator of the webinar Mr. S. K. Puri, Executive Director, ICT Pvt. Ltd. 

Mr. S. K. Puri, welcomed the distinguished Speakers and attendees. The following Speakers made presentations at the Webinar which are available on IRF-IC’s website www.deeppink-spider-459065.hostingersite.com Click Here

– Dr. N. Anandavalli, Director, CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai, stressed that India must shift to smarter solutions for infrastructure monitoring. She highlighted how modern technologies such as advanced instrumentation, AI, and data analysis can help identify internal damages that are often missed during manual inspections. She said that Bridges are the lifelines of our transport networks. Maintaining them in good condition is crucial for both safety and accessibility. She added that environmental factors, water exposure, air pollution, and increasing traffic loads lead to faster deterioration of infrastructure, making timely detection and repair imperative and most important. Using AI-based systems and embedded sensors — an approach known as Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) — can allow engineers to detect issues early, understand better the damage patterns, and plan maintenance more effectively. However, Dr. Anandavalli also pointed out a major challenge where, India was importing critical sensors at a very high cost. She opined that it is time we invested in developing our own sensor technology to reduce dependence on imports and make large-scale infrastructure monitoring more affordable. Click Here

– Dr. Gopal Rai, CEO, Dhirendra Group of Company (DGC), explained the importance of Bridge Rehabilitation. He highlighted that while SHM systems offer many benefits over traditional inspections, their high cost remains a key hurdle. These technologies are essential for ensuring the safety and extending the lifespan of our bridges and tunnels, but they must become more accessible and affordable for widespread use. He also talked about band stressing method and groove laminate with their applications. Click Here