DANA-RESIL: DESIGN OF RESILIENT BRIDGES AGAINST EXTREME HYDRAULIC EVENTS
Principal researcher:
Ignacio Payá Zaforteza
Team members:
- Pedro Calderón García
- Ignacio Escuder Bueno
- Miguel Ángel Eguibar Galán
- Arnau Bayón Barrachina
- Carlos Miguel Gisbert Doménech
- Eugenio Aracil Bueso
- Vicente Ferrer Pérez
- Dorotea Sigurdardottir
- Maria E.M. Garlock
Funding Agency:
Duration: 01/09/2025 – 31/08/2028
Reference: PID2024-161985OB-I00
Abstract
The floods caused by the DANA that affected the province of Valencia on October 29, 2024, highlighted the vulnerability of transportation networks, especially bridges, to extreme flooding. This was particularly evident in the final stretch of the Poio ravine, where nearly 50% of the structures collapsed or suffered severe damage. Furthermore, post-DANA bridge inspections and ongoing reconstruction efforts have revealed limitations in current design standards and potential inconsistencies in some commonly accepted design criteria.
In this context, the DANA-RESIL project aims to develop a comprehensive and interdisciplinary methodology to assess and enhance the resilience of bridges to extreme hydraulic events. To achieve this, a detailed analysis of the effects of the DANA on bridges located in the final stretch of the Poio ravine will be carried out. These structures serve as unique case studies for developing and validating hydraulic and structural models that consider fluid (water or mud)–structure interaction and scour effects, and provide a basis for conducting risk analysis and developing and evaluating mitigation strategies.
The project will begin with an assessment of bridge vulnerability to major floods and proceed with the hydraulic modeling of the flood caused by the DANA and its effects on selected bridges in the final stretch of the Poyo ravine. Validation will be conducted initially through reduced-scale models and later by comparing predicted model responses with observed data. Once validated, these models will be used to develop probabilistic methods that incorporate uncertainties related to material mechanical properties and hydraulic actions, providing an objective assessment of the structural reliability of the studied bridges. Finally, risk analysis techniques will be applied to evaluate the pre-DANA conditions and propose mitigation strategies, such as structural monitoring and strengthening measures. The efficiency of these strategies will be assessed.
DANA-RESIL will be carried out by an interdisciplinary and international team with extensive experience in hydraulic engineering, structural engineering, risk analysis, and mitigation strategies. The team combines full-time academics with part-time academics who are professionals from both the public and private sectors. Moreover, a significant part of the project team participated in post-DANA bridge evaluations and is currently involved in reconstruction efforts, ensuring access to key data and maximizing project impact.
Through rigorous scientific research and real-world validation, DANA-RESIL aims to become a benchmark in bridge resilience to extreme floods, contributing to the development and maintenance of safer and more sustainable infrastructure systems.
