FASSTbridge aims at drastically reducing the economic and environmental costs of ownership of the steel bridges stock in Europe and the USA by providing a reliable preventive, cost-effective and sustainable solution for steel bridges life-time extension.

The FASSTbridge solution will stand on two pillars:

  1. FASSTbridge methodology: An easy-to-apply methodology (fatigue life-time assessment, design, execution and maintenance guideline) to prevent the evolution of irreversible fatigue derived problems at a pre-failure scenario, and
  2. FASSTbridge strengthening system: a reliable, cost-effective CFRP strengthening system to preventively extend life-time of steel bridges

The preventive nature of the solution is the key to cost-effectiveness and sustainability since it will allow the timely design and implementation of innovative, competitive CFRP-based strengthening actions that will reduce the overall cost and environmental impact of life-time extension.

The application of the FASSTbridge solution will entail the preservation of precious public assets increasing their remaining-life in safe conditions, which is strongly connected to the Challenge B “Enhanced durability and life-time extension” of the ERA-NET Plus Infravation 2014 Call. The solution application will encompass two steps. Firstly, the assessment of the residual life of existing bridges and, secondly, when the estimated value is below the designed life-time, the fatigue strengthening process (design, execution and maintenance) using CFRP strips in order to guarantee the initially expected life-time (or even more). This process will be supported by a demonstration of the complete FASSTbridge solution in a real composite steel bridge in Madrid (Spain).