Petrofka Bridge Rehabilitation Assessment

The Petrofka Bridge, a significant steel and concrete structure over the North Saskatchewan River, showed signs of wear, prompting an in-depth examination beyond regular evaluations to inform its upcoming major rehabilitation.

In this project, we took an innovative approach:

• Sensor Integration:

Incorporated corrosion and moisture sensors within the bridge’s deck. This provided real-time monitoring of water content variations and corrosion rates of reinforcement at different depths for a full year, starting in July 2020.

• Probabilistic Modelling:

Developed models to predict the infiltration of chloride de-icing salts, a primary cause for concern. These models estimated that by 2030, 30% of the embedded rebars might experience chloride-induced corrosion.

• Data Calibration:

The predictive results were refined based on averaged chloride data from a separate 2020 study.

The final report, highlighting both prediction enhancements and potential cost savings, was presented to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure.

By integrating modern sensors and probabilistic modeling, this project exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to bridge rehabilitation and maintenance.