Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, the French Minister of Transport, has announced the 17 winners of the “Connected Bridges” call for projects. As part of the “France relance” plan, a call for projects with €4 million in support was launched to bring out new methods and innovative tools to ensure bridge maintenance, making it safer, more efficient and less costly. Some of these solutions use technologies linked to artificial intelligence.
The “Connected Bridges” call for projects
In France, there are approximately 260,000 bridges 24,000 of which belong to the State and the rest to the departments or municipalities. Bridges are strategic axes which, if they are closed, can jeopardize the whole service of a territory. Unfortunately, with time, these buildings age and the risks multiply, as the collapse of the bridge at Mirepoix, in the Haute-Garonne, last year, showed. This is why it is essential to ensure their good condition.
Through the “Connected Bridges” plan, the State hopes to promote the modernisation of bridge management in France through innovation. New technologies can be used to develop new tools to enhance bridge monitoring and maintenance. The latest advances in instrumentation, telecommunications, data processing and artificial intelligence offer new possibilities if they succeed in complementing the traditional methods of visual inspections of French bridges.
17 winners out of 39 applications received
During a visit to the Millau Viaduct, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari announced the 17 winners, out of 39 applications received. Here is the complete list:
- Apponts, supported by Apave: monitoring of structures with autonomous sensors
- Audace, led by Sisgeo: monitoring of structures using sensors and diagnostic assistance for structures subjected to PL shock
- Cahprees, supported by Artelia: detection of corrosion of shrouds and cables using autonomous sensors
- CI3S, supported by Cideco: monitoring of structures and detection of disorders by sensors and artificial intelligence
- Automatic detection of disorders, supported by Corrosia: assistance in the diagnosis of structures using artificial intelligence and augmented reality
- Geopont, supported by Bouygues: monitoring of structures using wave propagation
- Gerico, supported by SCE: monitoring of metal structures with sensors
- IA2, supported by Sixence Monitoring: scour detection using sensors
- MAJ, supported by Freyssinet: detection of damage to pavement joints using acoustic sensors and artificial intelligence
- MIMIA, led by Sites: monitoring of structures and diagnostic assistance using satellite imagery
- Mirauar, supported by Setec: diagnostic assistance for structures using augmented reality and artificial intelligence
- Sofia, supported by Socotec: assistance in the inspection of structures using image analysis
- SOS-A, developed by QCS Services: scour detection using sensors, imaging and modelling
- Survout, led by Quadric: monitoring of masonry structures under current traffic and exceptional convoys
- Viasagax, supported by Freyssinet: detection of heavy vehicle overloads
- Vigi, supported by Egis: monitoring of structures with autonomous sensors
- Vivoa, developed by Sixence Enginerring: assistance in the inspection of structures by image analysis
The implementation of all the winning projects is entrusted to the Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Development (CEREMA), the State’s public establishment in charge of public expertise on engineering structures.
Translated from 17 lauréats pour l’appel à projet “Ponts connectés” pour une maintenance innovante
