This work presents a robotic framework for warping measurement in concrete bridge girders, developed as part of an ongoing research effort on non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and digital twin modeling of post-fire bridge structures. The project features a 1:1 digital simulation of the I-95 bridge in Philadelphia, reconstructed after the fire incident.

A toy-scale deformed girder was modeled to replicate the warping and distortion observed in the actual bridge structure. The robotic system utilizes full forward and inverse kinematics, enabling motion control from the crane-mounted manipulator to the robot end-effector and vice versa. This coordination allows precise positioning for surface interaction and geometric reconstruction of the warped concrete elements.

The accompanying video demonstrates a simulation of the inspection process, including the robot’s navigation, kinematic motion,sensor alignment and simultaneous localization and mapping (Fast Lio) under the bridge deck.

A conference paper based on this work has been published, and a journal manuscript is currently under review for submission, expanding the methodology and experimental validation aspects of the study.