Maintenance for Bridges, Viaducts and Footbridges

Keep your Bridge Safe, Functional, and Disruption-Free

Bridge components are constantly exposed to traffic loads, climate stress, and environmental conditions. Over time, this leads to wear, tear and material degradation, often before visible damage occurs.
Regular bridge maintenance helps preserve structural performance, extend service life, and avoid unplanned closures or costly repairs. VSL delivers targeted maintenance operations for post-tensioned structures, cable systems, bearings, joints, coatings, and more.

Our bridge Maintenance Services

VSL offers a wide range of maintenance solutions tailored to each bridge’s condition, structural system, and usage profile, from tendons and cables to joints, coatings, and more.

  • Visual inspections and non-destructive testing (GPR, ultrasonic, magnetic flux, endoscopy)
  • Grout integrity assessment
  • Tension checks and re-stressing
  • Corrosion protection and encapsulation
  • Checking of monitoring systems for Electrically
  • Isolated Tendons (EIT)

  • Force and vibration analysis
  • Cleaning, re-tensioning, anti-corrosion coatings and anchorage fillers
  • Re-alignment or partial replacements
  • Replacement of wear parts on dampers or retrofitting

  • Load testing and re-tensioning
  • Visual condition checks
  • Replacement of protective filler

  • Inspection and condition assessment
  • Synchronised jacking and replacement
  • Supply and installation of spherical, pot, or elastomeric bearings and movement joints
  • Grouting and alignment

  • Removal of biological growth, dust and dirt
  • Coating removal and surface preparation
  • Application of corrosion-resistant paints and reinstatement of damaged surfaces
  • Waterproofing
  • Making-good of fire and blast protection
  • Jetting or sandblasting
  • Maintenance of architectural finishes

  • Auditing of existing SHMS and engineering review of output
  • Replacement of faulty sensors, cabling or data acquisition units
  • System Re-design incl. hardware, software and user interface
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Why choose VSL for Bridge Maintenance?

  • Integrated Capabilities

    We combine structural engineering, access expertise, lifting systems, SHMS expertise and execution, all under one roof.

  • Minimally Invasive Methods

    We design solutions that limit traffic disruption, often allowing operations without full closures.

  • Proven Systems

    VSL uses proprietary tools and technologies for jacking, tensioning and diagnostics, ensuring consistent results worldwide.

  • Tailored Contracts

    We offer long-term maintenance partnerships, combining scheduled operations and rapid-response support.

FAQs about bridge maintenance

These are some of the most common questions we receive about bridge maintenance. Got another one? Reach out to us!

Without planned maintenance, even minor wear can escalate, causing safety risks and costly disruptions. VSL helps extend bridge lifespan while keeping performance and costs under control.

We recommend annual visual inspections and periodic maintenance depending on component type, location, and age.

Typical operations include bearing and joint maintenance, cable cleaning, coating preservation, and anchor inspections.

Bearing and joints are moving structural elements which undergo wear and which are critical for the proper functioning of the bridge. They have a design life that is shorter than the bridge itself and hence require replacement at least once. To maximise their useful life and prevent damage to the structure in case of failure they need to be regularly inspected and maintained.

Yes. Our methods and temporary works are designed to minimize disruption and ensure user safety.

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Let’s Keep your Bridge Performing

Talk to a VSL expert!