Some aspects of the restoration of transport infrastructure facilities

Abstract

This article examines issues related to the restoration of transportation infrastructure, specifically: the acquisition of land parcels for the construction of transportation facilities and the selection of optimal structural designs for road bridges. As of early 2022 (prior to the full-scale invasion), Ukraine’s bridge infrastructure had a stable structure and was undergoing active modernization as part of the “Great Construction” program (2020–2021). Due to the full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s transportation infrastructure has suffered unprecedented damage. As of early 2026, the total number of destroyed or damaged bridges and overpasses exceeded 346 (in government-controlled territories). On state roads, specifically on key routes, 157 bridges were destroyed. To ensure logistics, approximately 100 temporary crossings and modular bridges were constructed. In order to select rational bridge structures, that will be built to replace the destroyed ones, the structural systems in which its elements damage does not lead to the destruction in whole and the structure will be capable to restoration were studied and proposed. These are structures in which the failure of its elements leads to formation of such systems of the damaged structure that would be geometrically stable. Two key variants have been proposed: an arch bridge system and a truss bridge system with polygonal bottom chord along the outline of an arch. By analyzing the internal force diagrams for initial analytical models and the considered destruction cases, the conclusion about the most acceptable system was drawn. Since bridges are linear transport infrastructure objects, for the construction of which authorities have the right to purchase private land plots with the owner’s consent, the issues of land alienation for the construction and reconstruction of bridges in Ukraine and the legislative acts regulating these actions were examined.