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Inspection of engineering structures: issues, professions and software

The inspection of engineering structures is a crucial area for maintaining the safety and durability of infrastructures. In this article, we look at the essential aspects of this expertise, focusing on the professions involved, the software used, and the benefits of using it.

What is the inspection of engineering structures?

Structures inspection is a systematic and regulated process for assessing the structural and functional condition of bridges, viaducts, tunnels and other civil engineering structures. This activity is fundamental to

  • Guarantee user safety
  • Prevent structural failures
  • Optimising maintenance costs
  • Extending the lifespan of infrastructures

The professions involved in the inspection of engineering structures

Several professionals are involved in the process of inspecting engineering structures:

  • Civil engineers: they supervise inspection operations and analyse the data collected.
  • Civil engineering technicians or rope access technicians: they carry out inspections in the field and draw up detailed reports.
  • Structural pathology experts: they diagnose structural problems and propose solutions.
  • Asset managers: they plan and coordinate inspection campaigns across an infrastructure network in accordance with its roadmap.

These professionals work in synergy to ensure effective, long-term management of engineering structures.

The use of asset management software

Asset management software plays a central role in the inspection of engineering structures. It enables you to :

  • Make an inventory of all the assets
  • Centralise inspection data
  • Plan inspection campaigns
  • Analyse changes in the condition of structures
  • Prioritise maintenance work
  • Plan budgets for multi-year maintenance programmes

Among the solutions available on the market, Beyond Asset and Beyond Patrol stand out for their innovative approach and complementary advanced functionalities.

Beyond Asset: a complete asset management solution

Beyond Asset is an asset management solution specially designed for engineering structures. It offers a number of advantages:

  • Infrastructure inventory
  • Intuitive interface for entering and consulting inspection data
  • Intervention planning modules
  • Predictive analysis tools to anticipate maintenance needs
  • Automatic generation of detailed reports

Beyond Asset enables infrastructure managers to optimise their maintenance processes and reduce associated costs. The solution brings together all asset data – inventory, diagnostics, maintenance and historical data – to make informed decisions and optimise maintenance management.

Beyond Patrol: mobile inspection of engineering structures

Beyond Patrol is a mobile application, either standalone or combined with Beyond Asset, specially designed for field inspections. Its main assets are :

  • Planning visits, inspections and inspection campaigns
  • Capture inspection data in real time
  • Georeferenced photos and annotations taken directly from the application
  • Synchronisation of data from the field to the office
  • Offline operation for areas without network coverage

Beyond Patrol revolutionises the work of inspectors, enabling them to work more efficiently and accurately on site. The manager plans the inspection visit with all the information and assigns it to a team. Once in the field, the teams are guided through the process to simplify their operations.

The benefits of using specialist software

The adoption of solutions such as Beyond Asset and Beyond Patrol brings a number of benefits to engineering structure managers:

  1. Improved quality of inspections: digital tools standardise procedures and reduce human error.
  2. Significant time savings: by automating certain tasks, professionals can concentrate on analysis and decision-making.
  3. Optimisation of maintenance costs: better planning of interventions reduces unnecessary expenditure.
  4. Increased traceability: the complete history of inspections and interventions is easily accessible.
  5. Decision support: integrated analysis tools make it easier to prioritise actions to be taken.
  6. Regulatory compliance: the software adapts to the company’s standards and regulations to ensure that inspection processes are compliant.

In a few words

The inspection of engineering structures is a constantly evolving field, where human expertise and digital tools complement each other to ensure the safety and longevity of infrastructures. The use of specialist software such as Beyond Asset and Beyond Patrol enables professionals in the sector to meet the complex challenges of asset management, while optimising resources and improving the quality of interventions.

With these innovative solutions, infrastructure managers can not only improve user safety, but also extend the lifespan of engineering structures.

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