Applications of Fuzzy Logic to Bridge Engineering

Abstract

This article summarizes several attempts made to apply fuzzy logic to structural engineering and particularly to bridge engineering. Many of these attempts have been implemented in depth and are readily available for practical use. The major research activity has been in the areas of structural damage assessment, bridge condition evaluation, and structural rating. In the case of bridge rating, the inspection procedure currently being used suggested the need for a multi-attributive decision making model. Two fuzzy models previously proposed in the literature and a third model adopted by the authors are presented here. The later produces a priority setting obtained through the solution of an eigenvalue problem involving a closest discrete pairwise matrix indicative of the relative structural importance of the different elements of the bridge components considered.