Greece’s “Smart Bridges” program launches with 36 projects in Athens

In six contracts, the significant project for Smart Bridges in the 13 regions of the country has been divided by the Technical Chamber of Greece . The framework agreement was signed by Technical Chamber of Greece on April 26 with three contractors: OTE, Globitel, and TERNA. The budget for the project amounts to 120 million euros plus VAT. The project involves the development of smart bridge infrastructures for monitoring the structural response of selected bridges in the 13 regions of the country in real-time, through modern systems and methodologies for instrumented structural health monitoring.

The project involves implementing smart bridge systems based on the networking of real-time structural health monitoring systems (RTSHM) on bridges under the jurisdiction of the Attica Region. These systems will record the response of structural elements to external factors (such as moving loads, accidental loads, temperature variations, etc.) and transmit the measurements to a central unified online platform.

The application of specialized methodologies for instrumented structural monitoring for the immediate assessment of structures aligns with the practices of many advanced countries and is globally recognized as the most accepted method for evaluating potential long-term structural health degradation.

The smart bridge projects will consist of recording stations with a continuous communication system connected to the unified online platform, sensors for measuring axial strain, acceleration sensors (vibrational sensors), water level sensors, and temperature sensors.

The first 36 projects in Attica

The first contract, concerning the Region of Attica, was signed on October 10, and the remaining contracts will follow one by one. The contractor is Globitel, with a budget of 12.7 million euros plus an option for an additional 6.37 million euros, excluding VAT. Smart systems for monitoring the structural response will be installed on the following 36 bridges:

1. Elevated Kifissou Bridge
2. Exit bridge from Kifissou Avenue towards Lamia for Corinth
3. Exit bridge from Athens Avenue towards Athens for Lamia
4. Poseidonos Avenue Bridge over Pikrodafni Stream
5. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Peiraios & Hamosternas
6. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Tatoiou & Kymis Avenue
7. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Petrou Ralli & Konstantinoupoleos
8. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Syngrou Avenue & Lagoumitzi
9. Interchange (IC) Bridges at Kifissou & Poseidonos Avenues – Exit bridge from Poseidonos Avenue towards Piraeus for Lamia
10. Poseidonos Avenue Bridge over P. Myrtidiotissis / Ethn. Makariou
11. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Kifisias & Katechaki Avenues
12. Exit bridge from Kallirrois towards Peiraios for Syngrou Avenue towards Piraeus
13. Level bridge on Poseidonos Avenue over the exit from the roundabout, SEF towards Ethnarchou Makariou & Dim. Falireos
14. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Katechaki Avenue & Ethn. Antistaseos in Kaisariani
15. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Mesogeion & Katechaki Avenues
16. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Kifissou & Peiraios Avenues
17. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Kifissou Avenue & Tsounda
18. Level bridge at Kifissou Avenue & Acharnon
19. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Kifissou Avenue & Pindou
20. NEAOK Bridge over Sarantapotamos
21. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Syngrou Avenue & Charokopou
22. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Syngrou Avenue & Ag. Panton
23. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Syngrou Avenue & Davaki
24. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Syngrou Avenue & Spartis
25. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Syngrou Avenue & Amfitheas
26. Kononos Bridge over the Electric Railway lines
27. Exit bridge from Alipedo towards Iroon Polytechneiou Avenue over the Electric Railway lines
28. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Old Coastal Road
29. Poseidonos Avenue Bridge over the stream on Vathi Street, Alimos Municipality
30. Poseidonos Avenue Bridge towards Sounio near Vouliagmeni Lake
31. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Kifisias Avenue & Kapodistriou (Sidera Chalandriou)
32. Kifisias Avenue Bridge & Spyrou Loui
33. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Vouliagmenis Avenue & Krinis
34. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Stavrou – Lavriou Avenue & Ag. Serafim
35. Stavrou – Lavriou Avenue Bridge over a seasonal stream near Palaiokamaryza
36. Interchange (IC) Bridge at Schistou – Skaramagkas Avenue & COSCO port connecting branch.

The application of specialized methodologies for instrumented structural monitoring, combining documentation, instrumentation, and rapid assessment, is globally considered the most effective method for evaluating potential long-term structural health degradation of constructions. The control condition is the real-time evaluation of the structural vulnerability of bridges under normal operating loads and the clear determination of the maximum allowable limits for traffic (monitoring maximum deformations).

In this way, timely prediction of failures (situational awareness) is achieved, enabling immediate decision-making and actions (informed decision-making process), while simultaneously ensuring resource savings by prioritizing maintenance and reinforcements where they are truly needed.

The other five contracts

The second contract concerns the bridges in the Region of Crete, with TERNA as the contractor, for an amount of 6.46 million euros.

The third contract concerns the bridges in the Region of Western Greece. The contractor is OTE for an amount of 7.31 million euros.

The fourth contract concerns the bridges in the regions of Thessaly, Western Macedonia, and the South Aegean. The contractor is Globitel for an amount of 19.08 million euros.

The fifth contract concerns the bridges in the regions of Central Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, and Epirus. The contractor is TERNA for an amount of 24.46 million euros.

The sixth and final contract concerns the bridges in the regions of the Peloponnese, Central Greece, the North Aegean, and the Ionian Islands. The contractor is OTE for an amount of 24.74 million euros.

The majority of the country’s bridges were constructed between the 1950s and the 1980s and are now nearing the end of their theoretical lifespan. The lack of maintenance measures, the aging of structures, the small design loads combined with the uncontrolled passage of increasingly heavier vehicles, and extreme environmental phenomena due to climate change are some of the factors that have contributed to the reduction in the strength of the bridges, rendering many of them “quasi-dangerous.

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