brugzorg

Brugzorg is a field within civil engineering that focuses on the management, inspection, maintenance, and rehabilitation of bridge structures to ensure safety, reliability, and long-term usability. The term is commonly used in Dutch-speaking countries and aligns with broader concepts of bridge management and asset management in public infrastructure.

The core objectives of brugzorg include protecting public safety, maintaining traffic flow, extending the service life of bridges, and optimizing lifecycle costs. Brugzorg adopts a lifecycle approach to decide when to repair, rehabilitate, or replace components, and uses risk-based prioritization to allocate limited resources. It integrates planning, execution, and evaluation to ensure that interventions deliver maximum value relative to risk and performance.

Typical activities encompass regular visual and structural inspections, non-destructive testing, monitoring of loads and vibrations, corrosion protection, deck resurfacing, maintenance of expansion joints and bearings, and scour protection around piers. When necessary, structural retrofits or complete replacements are planned. Data collected from inspections and sensors feed condition assessments and performance forecasts, supporting predictive maintenance and informed budgeting.

Governance and practice involve coordination among municipalities, national and regional transport authorities, and sometimes private concessionaires. Brugzorg practices follow national and international standards and guidelines for inspection, design, maintenance, and asset management. Modern brugzorg increasingly incorporates digital tools, such as asset registries, risk models, predictive maintenance, and structural health monitoring, to support decision making and reporting.