C2D2 fighting corrosion
Author: STC
Article Date: 05.12.2014
Bidges become an infrastructure problem as they get older, as de-icing salt and carbon dioxide gradually destroy the reinforced concrete. A new robot can now check the condition of these structures, even in places that people cannot reach.
People rely on Switzerland's 3,500 motorway bridges -- plus thousands more on cantonal roads - to carry them safely across valleys, streams, rivers and other roads. Most of these bridges have two factors in common: they are essential to Switzerland's transport infrastructure and they are made of reinforced concrete. This material makes them safe and durable -- until the onset of corrosion.