Gyeonggi-do Identifies 315 Issues at 55 C-Grade Bridges... Plans Detailed Safety Inspections

Inspection of Yangpyeong Mangmi 1 Bridge

Gyeonggi Province conducted an emergency inspection last month on 58 C-grade bridges managed by the Gyeonggi Provincial Construction Headquarters following the 'Bundang Jeongja Bridge accident,' discovering 315 issues across 55 bridges and is currently pursuing follow-up measures.

When categorized by bridge structure, the issues include ▲ upper deck (pavement, railings, drainage facilities, expansion joints) with 139 cases ▲ lower deck (slabs, beams, bearings) with 96 cases ▲ substructure (abutments, piers, foundations) with 76 cases ▲ pedestrian walkways with 4 cases.

Among these, 47 minor issues were addressed on-site, while 127 cases will proceed with construction after detailed design and budget allocation or will be addressed based on the results of a detailed safety inspection.

The remaining 141 cases were identified during safety inspections in the second half of last year, with construction budgets secured for this year. Repair and reinforcement work will begin within the year once construction contracts are finalized.

During this inspection, the 44-year-old Paju Ogeumgyo 1, completed in 1979, showed problems such as exposed rebar in the floor slab due to aging, leading to a restriction on traffic over 10 tons total weight starting from the 15th of last month. Issues were also found in the substructure of Ogeumgyo, prompting plans for a detailed safety inspection.

Hwaseong Balan 1 Bridge, a 27-year-old aging bridge with a cantilever (single-arm beam) design similar to Jeongja Bridge, has limitations in confirming safety through visual inspections alone. Therefore, a detailed safety inspection will be conducted to evaluate the structural stability.

Additionally, the province confirmed cracks and potholes on the upper and lower decks of 25 bridges, exposed slab rebar on 18 bridges, aggregate exposure, erosion, and corrosion in the substructure of 8 bridges, and pavement defects on pedestrian walkways in 2 bridges.

Accordingly, 18 bridges over 20 years old (including 10 bridges over 30 years old) will undergo detailed safety inspections from this month through August in accordance with the Facility Safety Act.

The detailed safety inspection involves on-site surveys and ultrasonic testing to assess concrete durability, load-bearing capacity, and structural safety. Among the 58 C-grade bridges inspected (37 in the southern region and 21 in the northern region), pedestrian walkways are installed on 26 bridges, with 11 of these featuring a cantilever design.

A representative from the Gyeonggi Provincial Construction Headquarters stated, "Damaged parts of the bridges will be promptly addressed through emergency construction orders this month, and aging bridges will undergo repair and reinforcement based on the results of detailed safety inspections. We will maintain the bridges safely and meticulously to ensure that residents can use them securely."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.