Bridges get a quick check-up

Engineers have developed a new imaging technique that lets them see the insides of massive concrete bridges. Much like a sonogram, this technique provides quick, easy-to-interpret images, so that the health of these expensive structures can be assessed and monitored. The patient weighs several tons and is hundreds of meters long. His body is made of concrete, reinforced by a skeleton of steel. Like living creatures, bridges sometimes have health problems. EPFL engineers have developed an imaging technique that permits a quick and easy diagnosis of corrosion in the steel rebar skeleton, the most serious problem that these grand, artistic structures can encounter. This method will result in a considerable reduction in the cost and inconvenience of repair work.