Evaluating Damage to Vermont Bridges by Hurricane Irene with Multivariate Bridge Inspection and Stream Hydrogeologic Data


TitleEvaluating Damage to Vermont Bridges by Hurricane Irene with Multivariate Bridge Inspection and Stream Hydrogeologic Data
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsAnderson, I, Hanley, J, Rizzo, DM, Huston, DR, Dewoolkar, MM
JournalJournal of Bridge Engineering
Volume25
Issue10
Pagination04020083
Date Published2020/10
ISSN1084-0702
Keywordsand cyclones, Bridge tests, hurricanes, Hydro power, Hydrogeology, Hydrologic data, Inspection, Rivers and streams, tornadoes, United States, Vermont, Watersheds
Abstract

The motivation for this study is the damage caused to over 300 long-span bridges in Vermont in 2011 by Tropical Storm Irene, which is part of the Hurricane Irene system. This study of the effects of this single extreme flooding event uses multiple variables related to these damaged bridges including bridge characteristics, stream characteristics, geographical features, environmental factors, and land-use resulting in a dataset with over 300 features. A new, evolutionary algorithm performed multivariate feature selection on this dataset to circumvent the computational challenges associated with using traditional statistical analysis. This impartial and exhaustive search of feature combinations generated nonlinear models that best predict bridge damage and identify bridges most at risk. Maps of statewide bridge vulnerability showed good correlation to damaged bridges. Features identified as significantly correlated with bridge damage include Irene stream power, and newly identified variables, such as watershed hydrologic soil types and the geographical context of specific watersheds. Channel rating and waterway adequacy rating, variables from the bridge inspection manual, also proved important. This research has applications beyond Vermont, as many of the newly identified variables can be created or monitored using commonly available data, and the analytical framework extends to other infrastructure assessment efforts at a system level.

URLhttps://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29BE.1943-5592.0001603
DOI10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0001603
Short TitleJ. Bridge Eng.
Refereed DesignationRefereed
Status: 
Published
Attributable Grant: 
BREE
Grant Year: 
Year5
Acknowledged VT EPSCoR: 
Ack-Yes