The new El Castro viaduct, located on the A-6 highway that connects Castilla y León with Galicia, has a comprehensive surveillance system implemented by engineering SOCOTEC. This system, which allows deformations, vibrations and corrosion to be detected in real time using sensors, guarantees the integrity of the structure and the safety of users by facilitating the early detection of anomalies and the taking of preventive measures. Witeklab, in collaboration with the SOCOTEC Auscultation Department, has provided its Corrochip system for corrosion monitoring.
This surveillance system will make it possible to anticipate possible damage to the structure and avoid situations such as the one that caused the partial collapse of the original viaduct in 2022. The new viaduct project has resulted in a five-lane infrastructure, designed to withstand heavy loads and extreme weather conditions. In addition to continuous monitoring, other safety measures have been implemented, such as the use of high-resistance materials and a reinforced structural design. According to Josep Raventós, director of Auscultation of SOCOTEC, “this engineering work has been a real technical challenge due to the complex orography of the terrain.”
The Corrochip system implemented by Witeklab will make it possible to immediately detect possible corrosion processes in the steel reinforcements of the viaduct, as well as maintain control of it and predict its progression with a high level of reliability.
To achieve this, long-lasting wireless sensors have been integrated into the structure, strategically located at key points of the structure, which constantly measure the state of the reinforcements using a patented non-destructive system, developed with a team of researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The data collected by the sensors is processed in an online platform, which allows different relevant physical-chemical parameters to be consulted in real time and offers an accurate calculation of the corrosion rate, which facilitates data analysis and decision making.
According to Ignasi Cairó, CTO of Witeklab, it is especially advisable to implement a corrosion monitoring system such as Corrochip in structures that are located in areas with very abrupt changes in temperature and high humidity and rainfall, as is the case of the El Castro viaduct, to avoid situations such as the one that occurred with the original viaduct. According to Cairó, “the solution that Witeklab provides with Corrochip allows us not only to monitor the current state of corrosion but also to see the propagation trend, very important, the speed with which it spreads. In this way, very accurate information is available without having to carry out constant visual inspections, to decide when it is necessary to intervene.”
The challenges that this project has presented when deploying the corrosion monitoring system have been determined by the size of the infrastructure and the orography of the terrain. Some sensors had to be located at points that are at high altitudes and the distance between the measurement points has been an added difficulty that the Witeklab technical team has been able to solve thanks to the connectivity between its equipment, which allows wireless communications over long distances and with low consumption. According to Ignasi Cairó, “the joint work carried out with the SOCOTEC team has allowed the installation to overcome the obstacles presented by the configuration of the terrain and the characteristics of the project, guaranteeing functionality. This is a satisfaction for Witeklab, since it is as important for us to offer high-performance equipment as it is to adapt our projects so that the infrastructure manager can get the most out of the cutting-edge technology he is installing.”
The comprehensive surveillance system implemented in the El Castro viaduct, according to Josep Raventós, has transformed its maintenance management. “Thanks to the SOCOTEC monitoring system, we have moved from a reactive approach to a predictive one, which allows us to anticipate and prevent possible failures, optimize resources and guarantee the safety and durability of the work in the long term.”
Image: Diario de León