Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-03. Practice on Monitoring Scour Plan of Action for Bridges During and After Floods

Scour is the most common cause of bridge failures. Per 23 CFR 650.313, state departments of transportation (DOTs) must have programs to manage the risks of scour vulnerability in their bridge inventories. Specifically, this regulation requires state DOTs to maintain a documented plan of action (POA) for every scour-critical bridge and every bridge with unknown foundations. A POA typically includes a plan for monitoring the bridge during or after flooding to ensure it is safe for traffic or closed if found to be unsafe. The 23 CFR 650.313 does not prescribe specific monitoring methods, so state DOTs use a variety of approaches and software in their POAs. These approaches can vary depending on factors such as data availability, funding, and resources for scour monitoring. Therefore, a synthesis study documenting state DOT practices for meeting POA monitoring requirements for both on- and off-system bridges will help state DOTs implement monitoring scour POAs within their unique organizational contexts. The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices and policies for POA implementation, including monitoring methods, software, instrumentation, and other tools used in these efforts. Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to): Units within the DOT responsible for POA monitoring; Requirements in POAs for on-site bridge monitoring during flooding; Procedures for maintaining and updating POA monitoring protocols for individual bridges over time; Practices for prioritizing bridges for POA monitoring when multiple POA bridges are affected by flooding; Roles and responsibilities for initiating POA monitoring at bridges; Conditions or triggers that initiate on-site monitoring at a bridge; Use of tools (e.g., GIS-based systems or other software) that leverage online rainfall or streamflow data to trigger monitoring; Qualifications and/or training for personnel performing POA monitoring; Observations and measurements made during on-site POA monitoring; Practices and procedures for emergency and formal bridge closures; Responsibilities for POA monitoring of non–state-owned bridges; Use of fixed instrumentation in POA monitoring; Benefits and challenges of POA monitoring and inspection; and Written policies and procedures supporting POA implementation. Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5980

Language

• English

Project

• Funding: $65,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  20-05/Topic 57-03

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Li, Zhiye

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge foundations; Floods; Maintenance management; Scour; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01972941
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: 20-05/Topic 57-03
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 26 2025 4:33PM