Application of “Linee Guida per la classificazione e gestione del rischio, la valutazione della sicurezza ed il monitoraggio dei ponti e viadotti esistenti”: the experience of Regione Calabria

The “Linee Guida per la classificazione e gestione del rischio, la valutazione della sicurezza ed il monitoraggio dei ponti e viadotti esistenti”, approved by “Consiglio Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici” and adopted by “Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti” (now “MIMS”) with DM 578 of 17/12/2020, introduced a multi-level approach to solving the problem of managing existing bridges and viaducts. In September 2020, as part of the “Piano operativo monitoraggio ponti e viadotti delle reti stradali non ANAS”, Regione Calabria began the census phase of all bridges and viaducts managed by the Provinces and the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. This phase corresponds to Level "0" of the multi-level approach, which aims to define the risk class of all the viaducts on the not ANAS road network using a hasty method. Subsequently, in August 2021, in collaboration with the Consorzio FABRE, the inspection and drafting of the defect sheets was started for the achievement of the "Level 1" evaluation on a sample made up of more than 50 bridges, selected by concert with the Provinces and the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria among those considered to be at greater structural, seismic and hydraulic risk. This is a large-scale application of the guidelines that, because of the large number of infrastructures involved (over 6,000 between provincial and municipal networks), presents considerable operational difficulties and requires a fast-track approach without losing scientific rigour. The article illustrates, in addition to the methodology adopted (acquisition of data provided by the managing bodies, geolocation procedure of the works, compilation of the database and mapping of the bridges and viaducts surveyed), the time schedule and the progress of the entire project, which aims to ensure the achievement of Level 2 assessment for at least half of the bridges and viaducts of the road network managed by the Provinces and the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria.