Degradation occurs on industrial structures due to factors such as impact damage, corrosion and metal fatigue from repetitive and dynamic loading which can lead to a reduction in structural reliability over time. Inspection is the only real means of determining the physical condition of a structure and safeguarding against failure.
In the field, structural conditions are inspected and recorded in a systematic and repeatable manner with a condition rating system using a 1 to 5 scale rating (pristine to unserviceable) for classifying damage. The system exists to easily track the degradation level of steel and concrete over time and allows for a consistent rating from any inspecting engineers. Ultimately, the aim is to identify any risks and criticality of the inspected components, followed by developing remediation actions. ASPEC has established a detailed inspection system encompassing all stages mentioned above.
This paper gives background on the condition rating system which is part of ASPEC’s inspection system.
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Grace Go is a Structural Engineer at Aspec Engineering with experience in technical engineering, structural/civil design and carrying out risk-based assessments on port and materials handling structures.
Richard Morgan is a Structural Engineer and Director of Aspec Engineering with extensive experience in bulk materials handling and ports. He is chairman of Australian Standards Committee ME43 for materials handling machines. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer.
Frank Gatto is a Director and Principal Engineer at ASPEC Engineering. He has over 30 years of experience in civil and structural engineering and is a Chartered Professional Engineer with a PhD in Engineering.