BridgeDoctor, life cycle costs of bridges under control

The Netherlands is a densely-populated country, with many rivers and roads. As a result, there are many intersections between roads and waterways, and these intersections are heavily used. Movares is a Dutch engineering consultancy and we can draw on over 100 years’ experience with a wide range of bridges and viaducts. We are among the Netherlands’ leading consultants in the field of movable bridges. Our knowledge and experience put us in a perfect position to look after bridges from initial design through to end of service life.

Many Dutch bridges – both movable and fixed – were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and were not designed for today’s increased, heavier traffic. They are showing symptoms of fatigue and/or no longer conform (demonstrably) to current requirements. As a result, they need to be replaced. The availability of infrastructure is of great economic importance

At the same time, safety must be guaranteed. Our philosophy: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Our ap-proach – the BridgeDoctor® – allows us to establish the condition of a bridge with the aid of a rapid analysis. In many cases, we can use smart measures to extend the life of a bridge, allowing it to remain in service for several more decades.

By an inventory based on available information. The aim is to gain insight into the status of the bridges now, but also in the future. On this basis it is possible to predict when the bridge needs to be replaced or, and of course, how and when to intervene constructively. This inventory provides quick answers to questions such as: which bridge is constructively safe and which bridge should be tackled first?

Maintenance also prevents emergency repairs and saves a lot of money (emergency repair = costly and timely maintenance can lead to less maintenance.