IMMERSIVE SYSTEM FOR BRIDGE RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT USING VIRTUAL REALITY.

In Peru, bridges play an essential role in territorial, economic, and social connectivity, by enabling the mobility of people, transportation of goods, and access to services. However, they are exposed to deterioration processes and external events that may affect their functionality and service life; therefore, periodic inspections are necessary to establish preventive maintenance actions. Currently, bridge inspections are based on visual assessments, photographic records, technical forms, and the inspector’s judgment. Although these procedures are necessary, they present limitations in the spatial and historical integration of the information collected during successive inspections. In response to these limitations, Wang et al. (2023) proposed an immersive framework for remote inspections; Martins et al. (2024) developed BIM-based mixed reality applications for bridge inspection; and Yigit and Uysal (2025) employed UAV photogrammetry to generate a digital twin through virtual reality. However, these advances have mainly focused on the digital visualization and inspection of structures, leaving the need for an integrated workflow that enables interaction with the three-dimensional model, the recording of technical observations, and risk assessment oriented toward decision-making. This research proposes an immersive methodology based on photogrammetric data acquisition, three-dimensional modeling, and virtual reality for bridge inspection and risk management. The workflow includes the survey of a real bridge, image processing, generation of the three-dimensional model, and integration into an interactive virtual environment, where specialists will be able to record damage associated with the affected element, location, type, and severity. Likewise, a risk matrix linked to the digital model will be developed to prioritize interventions and generate information aimed at preventive maintenance. The prototype will be validated through a case study on a real bridge, evaluating the correspondence of the digital model, the recording of observations, and its usefulness as a decision-support tool through expert evaluation.