Publication:
Highway Bridge Inspection:
State-of-the-Practice Survey
FHWA-RD-01-033, April 2001
(PDF - 264 KB)
Contact:
Glenn Washer (glenn.washer@fhwa.dot.gov)
Abstract:
The congressionally mandated National Bridge Inspection program requires
States to periodically inventory, inspect, and rate all highway bridges on
public roads. The National Bridge Inspection Standards, implemented in 1971,
prescribe minimum requirements for the inspection of highway bridges in the
United States. Visual Inspection is the primary tool used to perform these
inspections.
A survey was conducted to help determine current policies and practices that
may affect the accuracy and reliability of Visual Inspection. The survey had
three main objectives. The first objective was to compile a
state-of-the-practice report for bridge inspection, particularly as it pertains
to Visual Inspection. The second objective was to gather information on bridge
inspection management to study how inspection management may influence the
reliability of inspections. The final objective was to gather data about the
current use of nondestructive evaluation technologies and to identify current
and future research needs.
Participants included State departments of transportation, as well as some
local-level departments of transportation (the 99 Iowa counties) and select
bridge inspection contractors. Responses were received from 42 State departments
of transportation, 72 Iowa county departments of transportation, and 6
inspection contractors. The combined response rate for the three target groups
was 72 percent.
Results from the questionnaires are presented in a question-by-question
format. The motivation behind each question and the response percentages for
each question start the discussion, followed by the results obtained. Included
within each question are comments that will highlight the results.
