Framework of Automated Beam Assembly and Disassembly System for Temporary Bridge Structures

Framework of Automated Beam Assembly and Disassembly System for Temporary Bridge Structures

Temporary bridges play an important role in disaster relief operations. However, during such operations, availability of workers and limited time are major constraints. The requirement of human resources and construction safety measures may hinder completion of temporary bridge construction within the expected time, thereby delaying subsequent rescue operation. To address these issues of worker safety and shortage during a disaster event, an automated beam assembly approach for temporary bridge segments is proposed in this study. The approach includes a framework for automated assembly of temporary bridge segments using a crane and a construction process based on the framework. The framework and the construction process are examined with both virtual and small-scale models.