In Panama City and San Miguelito, there are 13 modular vehicle bridges, of which the Ministry of Public Works is preparing a Scope of Works to shortly put out to tender an evaluation of all these structures, said engineer Rolando Lay, national director of studies and designs. of the institution.
"These bridges were placed in Panama for more than 20 years, they are very fast and easy to install, but they do not bring with them knowledge or a technique to be able to give them the corresponding maintenance," said engineer Lay.
He added that the maintenance that is done is for a metallic structure, however, these bridges are composed of much more, they involve aspects such as cushioning, evaluation of constant traffic, which require annual maintenance based on a technical manual for the proper care of these structures.
Engineer Lay informed that this consultancy involves new technologies where the bridge structure is pathologically analyzed and the thickness of the steel, the behavior of the bridge cushioning, the joints are identified; indicated that it is not only a visual evaluation, it also includes aspects of physics and chemistry in these infrastructures.
Currently, the MOP is providing maintenance to concrete concrete bridges with cleaning, repair of joints and replacement of concrete, among other activities
5/26/2021 2:52:34 PM