Impact of climate change on the earthquake-prone aging highway bridges

What is it about?

Civil infrastructure, such as bridges, hospitals, and water networks, is important for the development of society. It is essential to protect our built environment and extend the life expectancy of our infrastructure. However, climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions can severely reduce the life of such structures, including highway bridges. Studies have shown that increasing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and global temperatures can cause corrosion to happen faster in bridges. This is even more impactful in areas that are close to rivers, seas, and earthquake prone regions. Yet, most studies do not consider the local environmental conditions around bridges and the effects of climate change in the long run. To address this, the authors of this study developed a new method, based on probabilities, to assess the combined effects of climate change, increased corrosion, and earthquakes on the life of highway bridges.

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Photo by valor kopeny on Unsplash

Photo by valor kopeny on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Understanding the long term effects of climate change on bridges is important for designing better ones. Moreover, it will also help in the assessment of existing bridges, leading to the development of improvement plans. In this study, the authors used their method to estimate how climate change will affect a bridge, not designed for earthquakes, located close to water bodies in the earthquake prone region of Gujarat. They found that accounting for climate change makes the bridge 53% weaker to earthquakes over 75 years. In contrast, modern earthquake resistant bridges were 38% stronger. KEY TAKEAWAY: As climate change worsens, the need to build stronger bridges and protect existing ones becomes essential. This study suggests that climate change should be included in the assessment of existing old bridges. Overall, climate change is a significant factor that, if ignored, can lead to significant damage to civil infrastructures. This research relates to the following Sustainable Development Goals: • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities • SDG 13: Climate Action • SDG 15: Life on Land • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being