Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 37-05. Bridge Inspection Practices

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has required state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) perform visual inspections of highway bridges since the late 1960s. In 2002, FHWA made preventive maintenance for highway bridges eligible for funding if state DOTs use systematic processes such as a bridge management systems to select activities and candidates for replacement and rehabilitation. Recent changes to the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) federal regulations require state DOT's and federal agencies to inspect their bridges at least every 24 months, with some exceptions. Underwater inspection frequency is specified as not to exceed 60 months, again, with some exceptions. Minimum qualifications are defined for bridge inspection team leaders and program managers. This synthesis will examine how state bridge inspection programs address: (1) Frequency of inspection by bridge type; (2) Certification and training of bridge inspectors; and (3) Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) of bridge inspection data. As well, the study will report international practice for these same topic areas, based on the findings of a 2003 FHWA/AASHTO international technology scan on bridge preservation and maintenance.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=97

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $49000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

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

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

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

  Williams, Jon

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Colorado, Boulder

  130 Academy Building, 970 Aurora Avenue
  Boulder, CO  United States  80309
• Principal Investigators:

  Hearn, George

• Start Date: 20061015
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20071231
• Source Data: RiP Project 11248

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge management systems; Bridges; Highway bridges; Inspection; Preventive maintenance; Quality assurance; Quality control; Quality control; Rehabilitation (Maintenance); Research projects
• Identifier Terms: National Cooperative Highway Research Program
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01463002
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Cooperative Highway Research Program
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 2:14PM