Comprehensive Review on Rehabilitation Strategies for Indian Bridge Infrastructure

This paper underscores the critical role of bridges in India’s transportation network and highlights the pressing need for effective rehabilitation strategies to address their aging infrastructure. With over 200 bridges exceeding 75 years of age, the transportation network urgently requires proactive rehabilitation efforts. While government initiatives like Setu Bharatam aim to tackle this challenge, the current approaches remain inadequate and largely reactive. This review delves into various rehabilitation strategies, including repair, replacement, retrofitting, and reconstruction, examining their materials, methodologies, and specific applications. It emphasizes that the selection of an appropriate strategy should be tailored to the unique defects and conditions of each bridge. By categorizing common defects in aging bridges and aligning them with suitable rehabilitation methods, the study offers a systematic framework to enhance the safety, durability, and longevity of bridge infrastructure. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of materials and techniques highlights the strengths and limitations of each approach, advocating for a structured and proactive strategy that prioritizes cost-effectiveness and safety. The paper concludes by providing recommendations for the optimal application of rehabilitation methods, addressing the specific challenges faced in the Indian context.