Through　and　half-through　arch　bridges　is　one　of　the　main　bridge　types　in　China,　having　arch　ribs　and　simple　suspended　deck　systems,　which　are　connected　by　high-strength　wire　suspenders.　However,　due　to　the　lack　of　robustness,　the　suspended　deck　systems　of　these　types　of　bridges　caused　progressive　collapse　after　the　suspender　corrosion　damage.　In　this　study,　the　internal　structural　factor　of　progressive　collapse　induced　by　suspender　failure　was　revealed　by　comparison　of　five　cases　of　suspender　failure,　and　the　robustness　requirement　of　the　suspended　deck　systems　was　proposed　as　redundancy　to　avoid　transverse　beam　collapse　when　two　supporting　suspenders　on　both　ends　were　broken　at　the　same　time.　Meanwhile,　a　typical　rigid-framed　tied　through　concrete-filled　steel　tube　arch　bridge　was　investigated,　and　structural　condition　evaluation　was　carried　out　based　on　the　Chinese　standard　(JTG/T　H21-2011).　It　was　found　that　the　evaluation　results　of　bridges　with　different　deck　systems　were　unreasonable,　as　the　better　the　robustness　was,　the　worse　the　condition　of　the　deck　system　was　rated,　which　would　mislead　the　bridge　maintenance　decisions.　A　robustness-based　evaluation　method　was　then　proposed　by　adopting　different　evaluation　method　according　to　the　robustness　of　the　suspended　deck　system,　which　is　determined　by　qualitative　classification　or　quantitative　calculation.　In　addition,　weight-adjusting　method　considering　robustness　was　introduced　in　the　evaluation　process.　The　result　showed　that　the　new　method　could　objectively　reflect　the　condition　of　the　bridge　and　thus　fits　the　needs　of　bridge　maintenance　and　management　better.　©　The　Author(s)　2020.