Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 57-03. Practices for Monitoring POA-Required Bridges During and After Floods

Background Scour is the most common cause of bridge failures. Per 23 CFR 650.313, state departments of transportation (DOTs) must perform a scour appraisal for all bridges over water and prepare a documented scour plan of action (POA) for any bridge determined to be scour critical or to have 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. When state DOTs use monitoring as a countermeasure a variety of approaches and techniques are deployed. These approaches can vary depending on factors such as data availability, funding, and resources for monitoring bridges during and after floods. Therefore, a synthesis study documenting state DOT practices for both on- and off-system bridges will provide information on technologies, methodologies, and knowledge gaps related to POAs. 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): Conditions or triggers that initiate on-site monitoring at a bridge;  List requirements in POAs for on-site bridge monitoring including, observations and measurements during flooding;  Practices for prioritizing bridges for POA monitoring; including when multiple POA-required bridges are affected by flooding; Benefits and challenges of POA monitoring and inspection;  Practices and procedures for emergency and formal bridge closures and reopening; Written policies and procedures supporting POA implementation; Procedures for maintaining and updating POA monitoring protocols for individual bridges over time, including updating conditions and triggers for feedback and monitoring; Units within the DOT responsible for POA development, lifecycle POA management, and monitoring; Responsibilities for POA monitoring of non–state-owned bridges; Roles and responsibilities for flood monitoring and scour monitoring inspections, including post-event; Use of tools (e.g., GIS-based systems, or other software) that leverage online rainfall or streamflow data to trigger monitoring;  Practices and equipment used for onsite and remote monitoring; Qualifications and/or training for personnel performing POA monitoring; and Use of fixed instrumentation in POA monitoring. 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. Information sources (partial): 23 CFR 650.313 Inspection procedures. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-650/subpart-C/section-650.313

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

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $65,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic 57-03

• Sponsor Organizations:

  State Departments of Transportation (participating member states of American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO))

  American Association of State Highway 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
• Managing Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001
• Project Managers:

  Larson, Sandra

• Performing Organizations:

  WSP USA

  One Penn Plaza
  250 W 34th Street
  New York, New York  United States  10119
• Principal Investigators:

  DeGraff, Jeff

• Start Date: 20260715
• Expected Completion Date: 20270714
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

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

Filing Info

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