LifeExt-2-Implementation

Research Project, 2021 – 2024

Many bridges have reached their estimated technical life and costly updating is needed. There are highly efficient methods
that can renew the fatigue life of the bridges by local treatment of the most fatigue-damaged parts. This was shown in
“LifeExt” (Vinnova Dnr 201702670, InfraSweden2030 Climate Neutral Infrastructure). But some issues still need to be
solved. The methods create a local remelting with TIG welding and / or favorable plasticization with compressive stresses in
fatigue-damaged areas via HFMI / UIT treatment. But how should a successful treatment be characterized and measured?
Methods for quality assurance need to be solved and in LifeExt-2-Implementation the focus is therefore on developing
methods for quality assurance, planning and implementing life extension on a selected bridge, evaluating the results and
compiling full documentation. The methods shall be taken from TRL 5/6 to TRL 7/8. During the project, documentation for
updating TRV's regulations will be formulated and the work with this will be conducted in TRV. A Guideline for training and
quality assurance will also be developed and the UT-TOFD (ultrasound) tested in bridge application. The assessment
techniques shall also be improved with statistical assessments. Major cost and environmental savings will be achieved as the
bridges have a longer life - and load capacity can also be increased - with these methods.
The project is fully linked to InfraSweden2030's vision and three program objectives, a ddresses its Focus Areas 1 and 5, as
well as Objectives 9 and 11 in Agenda 2030 and solves "one of the 14 major challenges for Engineering" (NAE).
Implemented methods are estimated to provide savings of SEK 25-100 million SEK annually, environmental benefits in
addition.