Damage Assessment of Road Bridges Caused by Extreme Streamflow in Montenegro: Reconstruction and Structural Upgrading

The extreme river streamflow that occurred during floods in 2010 in Montenegro caused significant damage to infrastructure and road facilities. The most severe damages were located on bridges crossing the river Lim, where a rapid water level increase in several municipalities led to failure or damage of almost 20 bridges. In this paper, a damage assessment of four significantly damaged reinforced concrete (RC) bridges, located in the affected zone of 40 km, is conducted. One bridge in Berane (bridge 1) and three bridges located on roads upstream from Berane (bridges 2, 3, and 4) were analyzed. Extreme water levels and inadequate flow profiles caused great damage to the bridges of which the piers were not adequately founded. A scouring process under the foundation of piers and abutments located in the riverbed occurred due to surface erosion and degradation of alluvial sediments. Applied methods and techniques for reconstruction and structural strengthening of bridges are presented in detail as well as results of conducted analyses of the design reconstruction process. In order to design appropriate structural strengthening, nonlinear analyses of bridges due to the settlement of the piers were performed. The research findings can be used in the vulnerability assessment and reconstruction planning phases for other bridges in the considered zone.