Bridges
(Maintenance)
Timely fixing of abnormal sags of spans of some beams eliminates risks of crashing or abnormal operating conditions. Any such issues can be detected by comparison of current data to data for analogous structures.
Settling or misalignment of bridge piers will signalize issues with foundations or changes in mechanical parameters of bridge structures (including those caused by human factors, such as vehicles crashing into bridge structures).
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The levels minimize the following risks for bridges on highest class roads:
- 1. Service wear, which may be caused by:
- a) Corrosion of bars reinforcing spans, and concrete fracturing – such issues can be detected by abnormal sagging of spans of some beams, and by comparison of current data to data for analogous structures;
- b) Corrosion of bars reinforcing piers, and concrete fracturing – such issues can be detected by settling or misalignment of top portions of piers while the foundation remains stable;
- c) Fatigue of metal structures – such issues can be detected by gradual increase in deformity; and
- d) Fracturing of sealing splines in isolation joints;
- 2. Human factors, including:
- a) Car crashes, rail accidents, and ships crashing into bridges; and
- b) Any other factors causing impairment of strain and strength characteristics of load-bearing frames;
- 3. Irregular settling of foundations, which may be caused by:
- a) Landslide processes or scouring of foundations by surface waters;
- b) Creeping of unstable foundation soils;
- c) Frost heaving of cohesive soils (clays, loamy soils, and sand clays);
- d) Permafrost thawing; and
- e) Suffusion and karst processes in foundations.
Oil Terminals
(Maintenance and Construction)
Permafrost thawing may result in irregular settling of oil terminals, which significantly increases the risk of fracture of tanks. Deployment of hydrostatic levels will help you to avoid such dangers.
Repeated loading/unloading (tank filling/emptying) cycles may cause fatigue of metal structures and, therefore, may result in irregular settling of tanks.
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The instruments minimize the risks of leakage (fracture) of oil tanks, which are caused by:
- 1. Irregular settling of foundations caused by:
- a) Suffusion or karst processes in foundations;
- b) Creeping of unstable foundation soils;
- c) Frost heaving of cohesive soils (clays, loamy soils, and sand clays); and
- d) Permafrost thawing;
- 2. Service wear, which may be caused by:
- a) Metal fatigue caused by repeated loading/unloading (tank filling/emptying) cycles; and
- b) Small flow area of load-bearing frames, which is reduces by corrosion processes – such reduction is detected on the basis of gradual increase in deformity;
- 3. Human factors, including:
- a) Vehicles crashing into load-bearing frames; and
- b) Any other factors causing impairment of strain and strength characteristics of load-bearing frames.
Seismic Specifications
(Assessment of Effects of Seismic Activity)
Prompt assessment of structure drifting after seismic events will help emergency response teams to timely and effectively solve the issue of response priority.
Use of several circuits will facilitate assessment and help to discern the extent of fracture of foundation soil from that of structures. For instance, if the underground circuit shows no changes while the circuit above the ground does detect them, it means that the foundation soil remains intact but the structures are damaged.