EXPERIENCE OF BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND

RECONSTRUCTION IN LATVIA
Ilmars Jurka, Head of Bridge Department, Latvian Road Administration

Summary
This report reviews the experience of maintaining and reconstructing the bridges under the
responsibility of the Latvian Road Administration (LRA).
Bridges as in many other countries are very important part of the road network in Latvia, as they
connect parts of the cities or countries, or countries themselves. If bridges are out of order, the
infrastructure is not able to function sufficiently well. If safety is concerned the road network may
be even dangerous for road users of the bridge maintenance quality is poor.

1. Introduction
Bridges and culverts are built in order to lead roads over obstacles: other roads, rivers, ravines, etc.
These structures considerably change the natural regimes of rivers and other nature processes.
Modified natural materials are used in bridge and culvert structures. However, the influence of the
environment tends to turn every modified material into its natural initial state.
The task of bridge and culvert owners is to maintain and preserve these structures so that they could
serve the needs of the publics in long term and with sufficient safety.

2. Bridge characteristics
The Latvian Road Administration is responsible for 928 bridges in the state road network and 740
large (l 2 m) culverts.
Bridge division according to construction materials is done taking into consideration the main
bearing elements of bridge superstructure: timber, stone, steel and reinforced concrete bridges.
Historically the bridge construction in Latvia developed depending on the public needs, economical
capacities and level of bridge construction technologies. It was greatly influenced by the wars and
the political situation.

In the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century mostly timber bridges were built
in Latvia; proportion of stone masonry, steel and reinforced concrete bridges was smaller.
The World War I and the World War II had a great influence on the composition of the Latvian
bridges. During the World War II approximately 90% of the bridges were fully or partially
destroyed. After the War less damaged capital bridges were repaired and other bridges were
replaced by unimpregnated timber structures. Their lifetime was short, approximately 15 20 years.
Timber bridges gradually were replaced by cast in situ reinforced concrete structures, and since
1955 only bridges from prefabricated reinforced concrete elements were built. A considerable
number of bridges were built in the conditions of general deficit of construction materials,
production capacities, appropriate structures and mounting equipment and without any motivation
for quality assurance.

3. Analysis of the experience

After analysing the drawbacks and the found defects of the existing bridges the following main
causes of drawbacks and defects may be divided in the following categories:
Design defects:
1. Normative documents, which were used by the bridge designers, allowed the use of
extremely thin concrete covering layer in reinforced concrete structures.
2. Simple supported beams with expansion joint on each pier were used in bridges with many
spans (many sensitive elements).
3. Insufficiently durable expansion joints.
4. Thin reinforced concrete structures used in roadway structures.
5. Concrete covering layer is envisaged on water insulation.
6. Steel structures in guardrails and parapets were coated with insufficiently durable paint.
7. Sufficient bridge span and appropriate reinforcement of fill ends is not always chosen.
Drawbacks and defects in the execution of construction works:
1. Structures from prefabricated reinforced concrete elements were constructed with poor
quality:
Insufficient concrete density;
Positioning of the reinforcement does not conform the design;
Insufficient concrete frost resistance;
2. Defects of cast in situ reinforced concrete:
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 Insufficient concrete density;

Positioning of the reinforcement does not conform the design;
Insufficient concrete frost resistance;
Honeycombs in the concrete.
3. Defects of steel structures:
Poor preparation of structure surfaces prior to painting;
Poor quality painting.
4. Defects of expansion joints:
Use of inappropriate material;
Poor technology of construction works.
Drawbacks of maintenance works:
1. Only routine maintenance is executed;
2. Appropriate periodic maintenance is not implemented;
3. Defects are repaired with materials of poor quality.
4. Bridge maintenance
General rules for bridge maintenance
After analysing the existing situation and acquainting with the experience of foreign countries it
was stated that in order to improve bridge management it was necessary to assess the bridge assets.
In order to implement appropriate system for bridge management the Latvian Road Administration
in co-operation with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration elaborated a Bridge management
System (BMS). Initially bridge management guidelines were elaborated which provided the
description of the main tasks and detailed duties.
Bridge maintenance purpose is to preserve the planned level of traffic safety and quality during the
whole lifetime of the bridge. Maintenance works have to be performed after such intervals, which
would allow minimising the costs and at the same time ensuring the necessary safety and traffic
possibilities. In addition to that no harm to the environment caused by the bridges may be allowed.
Bridge maintenance starts with a good design containing as less details causing problems during the
bridge operation, as possible. Quality assurance and control in construction works is also crucial.
During the bridge operation timely and qualitative bridge inspections have to be ensured.

In Latvian BMS the bridge maintenance is divided into:

Routine maintenance;
Periodic maintenance;
Rehabilitation.
Routine maintenance works
The purpose of routine maintenance works is to provide the same traffic safety and driving
conditions, which exist on the road where bridge is located, as well as, to preserve esthetical
outlook of the structure and ensure the functioning of the bridge as specified in the design. The
works are implemented by construction companies.
Routine maintenance works include:
1. Cleaning of bridge elements;
2. Cleaning of the area under the bridge;
3. Elimination of scours in the soil;
4. Temporary elimination of accident consequences;
5. Elimination of small structural defects.
Periodic maintenance works
The purpose of routine maintenance works is to eliminate the defects, which could influence the
traffic and bridge bearing capacity, as well as, traffic safety, environment and bridge lifetime.
Maintenance works have to be executed after such intervals, which would allow the minimisation of
the costs. The works are executed by specialised construction companies according to the
specifications and in the amounts specified in the bills of quantities.
Periodic maintenance works include:
1. Renewal of coatings on the surfaces of steel structures;
2. Renewal of coatings on the surfaces of reinforced concrete structures;
3. Renewal of coatings on the surfaces of timber structures;
4. Renewal of worn elements in roadway structure and water insulation.
Rehabilitation
The purpose of rehabilitation works is to renew the functionality of a damaged bridge element
without its replacement and without limiting the traffic possibilities, traffic safety and bridge
lifetime. The works are executed by specialised construction companies according to specially
elaborated construction designs.
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Rehabilitation works include:

1. Repairs of the damages in pier and foundation concrete above and under the water;
2. Repairs of the damages of steel, stone, timber or other structures in bridge substructure or
superstructure;
3. Replacement of damaged pasts of structural elements.
5. Reconstruction
Bridge reconstruction is divided into:
Strengthening;
Rebuilding.
Strengthening
The purpose of the works is to increase the bearing capacity of the bridge or its elements
disregarding the presence or absence of any defects up to a level which is higher than the initial
bearing capacity.
Rebuilding
The purpose of the works is to modify the function, use or standard of the bridge or its elements.
They may include bridge widening or increase of clearance under the bridge, replacement of the
whole superstructure or bridge deck, adding of pedestrian sidewalk, etc.
Strengthening or rebuilding works are executed by specialise construction companies according to
construction designs elaborated particularly for this purpose.
Allocation of financing
The financing is allocated according to the following scheme:
FINANCING FOR
BRIDGES
Calculated
needs

Maintenance funds

Investment funds

Management: Inspections
Maintenance: Routine
Periodic
Rehabilitation

Reconstruction:
Strengthening
Reconstruction
New construction
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Bridge maintenance and reconstruction works have to be implemented in optimal intervals and in
the necessary amount. Bridge inspection and routine maintenance works are practically
implemented in the whole necessary amount.
However, insufficient financing may cause the delay of periodic maintenance or reconstruction
works on several bridges. In such case priorities are determined so that the delay of the works
would have a minimal negative result.

6. Alternative strategies
If the results of main or special bridge inspections show that the costs of the necessary repair works
exceed 20 % of the bridge replacement value, alternative strategies have to be studied. At least two
different strategies have to be evaluated from the cost benefit point of view. The calculations in
addition to maintenances costs have to include also all the costs, which arise to the road users and
the publics due to the implementation of the chosen strategy.
The following strategies may be considered:
1. Temporary action: execution of small repairs in order to postpone the main works or bridge
replacement until later moment.
2. Mayor action: execution of large repairs in a short period of time in order to increase the
remaining bridge lifetime substantially.
3. New element or bridge: No repairs are executed; the bridge or its element is replaced at the
end of its lifetime.
Different technical solutions may be considered for each strategy.
If the maintenance costs exceed 50% of the value of bridge replacement, the 3rd strategy ahs to be
considered. Special attention has to be paid to bridge elements, as well.
When choosing the optimal strategy the following factors, which usually are not included in cost
calculations, have to be considered, as well:
the age of the bridge and its remaining lifetime;
bridge bearing capacity;
bridge width and road curvature;
clearance under the bridge;
traffic safety;
traffic capacity;

 bridge use in the future;

esthetical aspects;
historical value;
If the financing for implementing the optimal strategy is not allocated, the bridge priorities have to
be determined.

7. Reconstruction
Bridge reconstruction usually is substantiated with the choice of the 2nd or the 3rd strategy. With the
increase of daily traffic loads according to the EU norms the bridge strengthening or the
replacement of main bearing elements becomes topical. Some examples may be mentioned:
1. Bridge over the Venta in Skrunda. The bridge bearing capacity was increased and roadway
was widened by replacing the span superstructure with lighter steel beams and reinforced
concrete deck.
2. Bridge over the Gauja in Carnikava. The bridge bearing capacity was increased and
roadway was widened by strengthening and connecting the separate span beams in a
continuous girder. Particularly light sidewalk structure with steel grid deck was installed.
3. Bridge over the Malta in Vilani. The bridge bearing capacity was increased and roadway
was widened by strengthening the existing reinforced concrete structures and
reconstructing the bridge deck.
Conclusion
Bridge maintenance in Latvia historically has gone through all development phases: from the false
idea about the eternity of reinforced concrete structures to planned and preventive maintenance
works today.
To provide the necessary bridge bearing capacity and traffic safety in the conditions with limited
financing the bridge engineers have to find balance between bridge preservation and reconstruction.
The Bridge Management System implemented in Latvia is a modern tool for the solution of such
bridge problems.