MISTRAS has the inspection, maintenance, access, and monitoring capabilities to service every element of your bridges, offering at-height and subsea solutions for constant structural integrity security.
Bridges are subjected to large amounts of stress and pressure during daily use, along with environmental and fatigue-related damages that can make a serious impact on long-term bridge soundness and structural health. MISTRAS has an advanced array of bridge protection solutions to ensure that bridges of all types maintain their safety and strong composition.
We offer comprehensive services for bridges of wide variety, including:
- Cable Stay Bridges
- Concrete Bridges
- Pre- and Post-Tension Bridges
- Steel Bridges
- Suspension Bridges
- Wooden Bridges
As traffic increases, it becomes more essential that bridges are able to handle the large loads that accompany increased use. MISTRAS’ bridge solutions play an important role in ensuring that bridges remain structurally sound even at peak traffic volume, protecting the safety of the public and the surrounding environment.
Some of MISTRAS’ extensive service capabilities include:
- Steel fatigue & crack detection monitoring
- Concrete micro fracture detection and monitoring
- Wire break monitoring in post tension concrete structures
- Strain, rotation, acceleration, displacement, movement monitoring
Rope, Diving, and Drone Access for At-Height and Subsea Bridge Components
MISTRAS rope access technicians can perform traditional and advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection services on bridges of any height, location, or position. Our elite rope access teams are trained, certified, and experienced in servicing bridges at-height and in-use, so you can ensure that they receive the critical inspection, repair, maintenance, and reinforcement procedures that would be inaccessible or too expensive to reach using other means.
By using rope access, you can limit lane closures and traffic disruption as much as possible, saving money and limiting public disturbance. MISTRAS rope access technicians can service any bridge parts that are inaccessible with other methods, including:
- Suspension cables
- Bridge supports
- Bridge underside and framework
- Beams and bearings
- Cable wires
We also deploy subsea drones and trained divers to inspect hazardous or hard-to-reach confined spaces underwater. Our subsea drone technology provides the capability to inspect areas inaccessible to traditional methods in a safe, efficient and accurate way, making sure your bridges are secure from the bottom-up. Diving technicians are also able to complete maintenance services to repair damaged bridge components.
Bridge Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) Systems and Services
Effective monitoring strategies are essential for bridges, which can’t easily be shut down for inspection and maintenance. MISTRAS Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) uses Acoustic Emission sensors to provide 24/7, 365 continuous monitoring of bridges, so defects and faults can be serviced as soon as an imbalance or irregularity is detected.
With Acoustic Emission (AE) technology, MISTRAS can determine if, where, and when damage is occurring, along with its severity and intensity, helping you respond as effectively as possible.
Paired with our advanced data management capabilities, we can collect, analyze, manage, and present findings for future monitoring and historical trending. MISTRAS technicians can supply, install, and operate SHM systems on your bridge, so you can ensure both safety and structural integrity at all times.
Cable Stay Inspection Services
Cable tendons are a critical bridge component, but their inspection can be a costly and time consuming process. Improper grouting, sheathing, overstress during construction, weather induced vibration, corrosion, and fatigue can lead to wire breaks and subsequent failure in even young and relatively new cable stays.
MISTRAS inspection and structural health monitoring (SHM) solutions alert bridge operators as soon as bridge componentry shows signs of a possible flaw or failure. Our products and services are specially designed to identify corrosion, wire breaks, cracking, and any other potential cable flaws to help bridge operators make informed decisions and effectively plan maintenance and repair.
Gusset Plate Inspection Services
Gusset plates are an essential component of steel bridges, used to connect beams and girders to the bridge columns, while also helping to strengthen the joint itself. Given the importance of the role these plates play among elements of a bridge’s componentry, a serious issue in a gusset plate could be extremely hazardous to a bridge’s structural health.
MISTRAS has products and services specially designed to identify gusset plate faults, including corrosion, rust, fatigue, cracking, and other signs of distress.
Based on the situation, environment, design, and material of the gusset plate, our technicians will select a non-destructive testing technique that will accurately and efficiently inspect the gusset plate for faults. Steel bridge inspections are often carried out with limited access, including use of bucket trucks, snooper trucks, and rope access, which MISTRAS can provide based on project requirements.
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