Integrated Structural Assessment and Rehabilitation of Six Urban Viaducts with Minimum Traffic Disruption

A Case Study from Belo Horizonte, Brazil with Applications to Aging Urban Infrastructure in the United States

Abstract

This paper presents the integrated structural assessment, risk-based prioritization, and rehabilitation of six urban viaducts located on Avenida Dom Pedro I in Belo Horizonte, Brazil — one of the highest-traffic arterials in a metropolitan area of approximately 6 million inhabitants. The project was commissioned by the Municipal Government of Belo Horizonte under Contract DJ 125/2022 (total value: BRL 17,402,235.09) and executed between 2021 and 2023 under the technical responsibility of the author.

The six structures presented distinct and critical pathologies of varying complexity, requiring a differentiated set of structural interventions: controlled viaduct lifting (5 hydraulic jacks of 1,000 tf capacity each, elevation of 12 cm over 5 days); internal prestressing of box girder sections executed through access manholes of only 60 × 60 cm; pressed-pile foundation reinforcement (presso-ancoragem) pre-loaded at 70 tf; and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) application, including both sheet and laminate systems.

All six interventions were executed while maintaining traffic flow through a planned overlapping construction sequencing strategy, with the sole exception of a five-day full closure required for the most complex structure. Structural analyses were performed using finite element modeling under Brazilian standards, functionally equivalent to AASHTO LRFD specifications.

The paper introduces the APRI Framework (Assessment, Prioritization, Rehabilitation, and Institutional Documentation), a structured methodology designed for scalable application in urban infrastructure systems. The study also discusses its applicability to the United States, where more than 45,000 bridges are classified as structurally deficient, highlighting the potential contribution of structured decision-making methodologies to maximize the impact of infrastructure investments.