Enhancing infrastructure safety in Italy through network-scale, real-time multi-risk bridge monitoring

The increasing number of bridge failures worldwide has prompted governments to adopt stricter maintenance regulations, placing emphasis on structured network management through comprehensive inventories, periodic inspections, and continuous long-term monitoring. In this context, Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure introduced new guidelines in 2020, establishing a five-level analytical framework encompassing inventory management, multi-hazard condition assessment, and structural monitoring. One of the most comprehensive national efforts in this domain is led by ANAS S.p.A., Italy’s main road infrastructure authority, which has implemented a large-scale monitoring program across its bridge network. This initiative integrates detailed structural inventories, continuous dynamic monitoring, seismic analysis, and advanced diagnostic tools, supporting a shift toward proactive and predictive maintenance. Collaboration with academic institutions plays a critical role in this program, fostering the development of novel algorithms for structural diagnosis and expanding scientific knowledge of bridge behavior under both operational loads and seismic events. By applying SHM methodologies to a wide variety of structures—including critical and landmark bridges—the initiative enhances infrastructure resilience, serviceability, and lifespan. This paper outlines key elements of the ANAS program, presenting selected case studies, long-term monitoring strategies, and insights derived from recent seismic events.