Plan integral de inspección y conservación patrimonial para los puentes de arco en ladrillo en el departamento del Cauca.

Abstract

Brick arch bridges designated as Cultural Heritage Assets in the Department of Cauca face a technical challenge due to the absence of a standardized inspection and conservation framework. This research develops a comprehensive inspection and heritage conservation plan, using the Puente del Humilladero in Popayán—the largest masonry bridge in the region—as a case study. The methodology comprises four phases: historical information gathering, field inspection, pathology assessment, and the formulation of conservation plan guidelines. The structural stability analysis was performed using LimitState:RING 4.2, a specialized software for masonry arch bridge assessment designed to evaluate the structural response of masonry under service loads (Gilbert et al., 2025). The software is based on the limit analysis methods originally developed by Heyman (1966, pp. 15–31). The computational model demonstrated that the bridge arches maintain the line of thrust within the thickness of the arch barrel without forming plastic hinges; consequently, no collapse mechanisms develop, confirming the structural stability of the bridge. Field inspections identified several pathological processes, whose severity was classified into low, medium, and high levels of deterioration. These findings were subsequently used to develop a risk assessment matrix, a risk map, and to define both urgent and routine maintenance interventions aimed at preserving the Cultural Heritage Asset (CHA). In addition, the study establishes heritage authenticity principles in accordance with the Venice Charter and the Burra Charter, proposes schedules for basic, periodic, and special inspections, and provides intervention guidelines compatible with the bridge's original construction system. The proposed methodology helps address the existing methodological gap in Colombia regarding the technical management of historic masonry bridges and offers a replicable framework for the conservation of similar heritage structures throughout the Department of Cauca.