Structures

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Bonner Bridge Testing Performed in the Hydraulics Laboratory

FHWA's Hydraulics Laboratory has conducted about 30 tests of alternate piers that are being proposed for the Oregon Inlet in North Carolina to estimate the maximum local scour around exposed pile groups. Because of the large number of similar piers that will be used for this bridge, there is considerable potential savings (estimated as high as $4 million) in the structural design of the piers by determining a more accurate estimate of the scour than can be obtained using the general equations in current guidelines.

The test procedure was derived by Mohammed Salim who was a Grants for Research Fellowships student from George Washington University. The Bonner Bridge study has been a partnership effort of FHWA, the North Carolina DOT, a support services contractor, and design consultants. The partners met at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) on March 26, 1996, to allow engineers from the North Carolina DOT and the design consulting firm to observe the testing and be briefed on the preliminary results. A followup meeting was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, in April to present the results to a team of experts and to decide how to use the results in the design of the bridge.

-- Sterling Jones (202) 493-3043

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Metric Recording and Coding Guide Published

The metric version of the Recording and Coding Guide for the Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation's Bridges has been prepared by the Bridge Division and endorsed by the AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures. This metric version represents several years of effort by the Bridge Division in cooperation with our partners, both individually and through the AASHTO Subcommittee. The guide, dated December 1995, replaces the December 1988 guide and is to be used for reporting bridge inventory and inspection data in accordance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards. Copies of the guide have been distributed to FHWA's field offices for forwarding to States for use by all bridge owners for the reporting of National Bridge Inventory Data.

The guide has been updated several times in the past. This latest edition converts all of the units of measurement to the International System of Units. It also provides detailed guidance on evaluating and coding specific bridge data. In addition, several new items have been added, including the procedures for reporting Federal Lands highway systems data, each State's existing linear referencing system, and the method used to determine bridge load ratings. Some items have also been expanded to provide more explicit instructions for coding. Further, more basic definitions applicable to the instructions are provided. Copies of the guide are available from the Bridge Division.

- Minnie P. Long (202) 366-8791, and Ann Shemaka (202) 366-1575

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Bridge Engineering Course Well Received

Sponsored by FHWA and the National Highway Institute (NHI), the 4-week Bridge Engineering course has been well received. FHWA contracted with the University of Maryland and NBE, Ltd., to develop and present this comprehensive, graduate-level course in bridge engineering. It provides a tremendous amount of worthwhile information in the form of classroom lectures and reference materials for designing, constructing, and maintaining bridges. Participants attending the course, which is being presented in various States, represented FHWA, State and county highway agencies, private industry, U.S. Forest Service, and the Corps of Engineers.

As we are losing experienced bridge engineers to retirement and organizational restructuring, this comprehensive course offers a way to train young and experienced bridge engineers alike. It provides the basic level of understanding in all aspects of bridge engineering, which is important in today's changing environment. It offers a unique opportunity for State bridge engineers, designers, and managers to have an open forum for problem solving and solution sharing among themselves. It enhances their experience base by sharing case histories and solutions to engineering challenges.

Many of the instructors are nationally renowned experts in their fields and were instrumental in developing the Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges. The four volumes of the participant notebook are excellent references for the day-to-day work of practicing bridge engineers. The course is highly recommended by over 95 percent of the course participants.

-- Vasant Mistry (202) 366-4599.