Establishment of Personnel Certification and Quality Control and Quality Assurance Processes for Nondestructive Testing of Concrete and Steel Bridge Elements
The certification of personnel performing nondestructive testing (NDT) of steel and concrete bridges in field inspections is fragmented between certification bodies and is inconsistent from one owner to the next. However, the knowledge, training, and experience of technicians performing NDT is paramount in obtaining consistent and accurate data on the condition of the structure so that key asset management decisions can be made. Studies have shown that even technicians certified and practicing in other sectors, such as nuclear or oil and gas, underperform when placed on a bridge field inspection project. While some literature exists on the effects of this resulting gap in knowledge and experience, no process exists for personnel certification of engineers or technicians performing NDT for bridges. Additionally, there is no framework for quality controls or quality assurance (QA) processes that could be used or specified by owners to establish a minimum standard of care for NDT protocols. Comparative studies quantifying how different certification schemes affect field measurement repeatability are limited, and there is little published evidence on cost-benefit tradeoffs for implementing bridge-specific certification and QA programs at state or national scales. Overall, the literature highlights the need for a national or regulatory framework that adapts ISO 9712 and SNT-TC-1A principles to bridge environments—incorporating field performance testing, bridge-specific competencies, continuing education, and systematic QA oversight—to ensure uniform NDT practices across transportation agencies. The objective of this research is to study industry certification and qualification practices for bridge inspection and evaluation, assessing their effectiveness through a national and international literature review and a survey of bridge owners worldwide. The study will also examine certification protocols used in other industries, such as energy, aviation, and manufacturing, that employ NDT in construction, in-service inspections, and maintenance. The findings will inform the development of guidelines for a consistent, reliable certification program for NDT technicians. The project should establish minimum personnel certification requirements and QA processes for transportation agencies to ensure uniform results across technicians applying NDT to concrete and steel bridge members. Recommendations will cover common NDT methods, including ground penetrating radar, ultrasonic and advanced ultrasonic testing, impact echo, infrared imaging, laser crack detection, and automated sounding. A framework will also be developed to help owners implement certification and QA for other NDT methods.
- Record URL:
-
Supplemental Notes:
- Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Proposed
- Funding: $500,000.00
-
Contract Numbers:
Project 10-161
-
Sponsor Organizations:
National Cooperative Highway Research Program
Transportation Research Board
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Project Managers:
Abu-Hawash, Ahmad
- Start Date: 20260608
- Expected Completion Date: 0
- Actual Completion Date: 0
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Certification; Concrete bridges; Inspection; Inspectors; Nondestructive tests; Quality assurance; Quality control; Steel bridges
- Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01992140
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
- Contract Numbers: Project 10-161
- Files: TRB, RIP
- Created Date: Jun 9 2026 12:57PM