Study on enhancing road bridges resilience to flooding considering climate change

ongoing

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, which pose major risks to road networks. These include road closures due to flooded pavements and the structural failure of critical infrastructure such as bridges — endangering safety, disrupting mobility and causing significant damage. This study aims to reduce those risks by analysing the vulnerability of road bridges and improving flood preparedness through the development of an early warning and response system. The project will focus on two key areas: 1. Assessment of bridges’ hydraulic capacity and hydrological safety. A detailed diagnosis will be conducted for several TEN-T core network road bridges (987 in total), selected based on a prior climate risk and vulnerability assessment carried out for all infrastructure assets and climate threats under the Adaptation Plan for the National Road Network. The study will include complete hydrological and hydraulic calculations under current and future climate scenarios. The analysis will identify the most at-risk structures and provide a prioritisation framework to support decision-making and investment in adaptation measures, both structural and non-structural. 2. Design and implementation of a flood early warning and response system. A digital tool will be developed to monitor meteorological and hydrological conditions in real time, simulate flood scenarios and issue alerts linked to pre-established thresholds. The system will provide actionable recommendations for road operators, enabling faster and more effective responses to flood events and enhancing overall emergency management capacity. The results of this study will support the strategic planning of climate adaptation actions and strengthen the resilience of critical road infrastructure in Spain.