JSC "Kazakhstan Road Research Institute" (KazdorNII) has studied advanced European practices in the management of bridge structures, which will be applied to the further development of the domestic Bridge Operation Management System (BOMS), developed by KazdorNII.

From 20 to 24 July, specialists of the Institute completed training in Italy under the Bridge Management and Repair programme.

Participants examined modern approaches to managing bridge structures across all stages of their life cycle - from inspection and diagnostics to monitoring, repair and reconstruction. Particular attention was given to the use of digital passports, BIM models, digital twins, instrumental monitoring systems, and risk-based planning of repair works.

International practice shows that a modern bridge management system should be built not on addressing the consequences once defects have appeared, but on forecasting them in a timely manner. Today, leading countries are moving away from periodic inspections toward continuous digital management of bridge structures based on the assessment of their technical condition and level of risk.

"The experience gained will be used to further develop the Bridge Operation Management System created by KazdorNII. Our task is to transform BOMS from a digital database into a fully-fledged bridge asset management tool that will make it possible to assess risks objectively, forecast the technical condition of structures, and determine the priority of repair works," noted Andrey Chzhen, Managing Director of the Institute.

The development of BOMS will make it possible to consolidate data on all bridge structures in the country within a single digital system, including their technical characteristics, inspection results, repair history, and monitoring data. This will allow repair decisions to be made on the basis of engineering data, enhance the operational safety of engineered structures, and enable more efficient planning of budget expenditure.

The knowledge and international experience acquired will form the basis for preparing a comprehensive programme for the rehabilitation of bridge structures in the Republic of Kazakhstan.