Structural Integrity Assessment of Aging Infrastructure in Uganda: A Replication Study

Structural integrity assessments are crucial for ensuring safety in aging infrastructure such as bridges and buildings, especially in regions with significant natural hazards like Uganda. A comprehensive survey was conducted, including visual inspections, load tests, and non-destructive evaluations (NDE) using statistical models to assess structural integrity. Uncertainty quantification through robust standard errors was employed for reliable results. Concrete strength testing revealed an average of 78% compliance with design specifications across all surveyed structures, indicating a need for targeted reinforcement in areas below the recommended threshold. The study confirms previous findings and provides evidence-based recommendations for infrastructure maintenance and upgrading to enhance safety and longevity. Specifically, targeted interventions should be prioritised on bridges with structural integrity scores below 80%, while buildings require periodic inspections based on their age and use. The maintenance outcome was modelled as Yᵢₜ=β₀+β₁Xᵢₜ+uᵢ+εᵢₜ, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.