Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 52-02. Current Practices in Bridge Asset Management Decision-Making

State departments of transportation (DOTs) have been transitioning to the AASHTO element inspection system for rating bridge conditions since 2014. This inspection system offers a significant opportunity to improve the timing and cost efficiency of bridge maintenance, rehabilitations, and replacement decisions. However, there is no standard guidance on achieving those benefits. The new AASHTO element inspection system provides detailed condition data on bridge components that can improve understanding of current conditions. Tools such as AASHTOWare BrM can combine these data with deterioration models to forecast future conditions and recommend optimal plans for an entire portfolio of bridges. Anecdotal evidence suggests that states and other jurisdictions that receive the new inspection reports are taking numerous approaches to using the data. Many states rely on overall condition ratings reported to the National Bridge Inventory for planning purposes. Still others have begun to incorporate the new inspection data into the planning process. The objective of this synthesis is to document current DOT practice and experience using the AASHTO element inspection system for rating bridge conditions. The synthesis will also examine how DOTs are using the data from inspection reports. Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to): Current practices for public reporting of bridge conditions; Current use of AASHTO element data; Families of deterioration models that are currently in use by DOTs; and Extent to which DOTs have incorporated the AASHTO element data into bridge asset management decision making. Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies 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=4978
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to performing organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $45000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic 52-02

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  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:

  Gause, Jo

• Start Date: 20200501
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asset management; Decision making; Deterioration; Highway bridges; Literature reviews; State departments of transportation; State of the practice; Surveys
• Identifier Terms: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01739558
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 52-02
• Files: TRB, RiP
• Created Date: May 18 2020 3:06PM