National Academies Press: OpenBook

Bridge Inspection Practices (2007)

Chapter: Appendix A - U.S. State Transportation Departments Input on Federal Regulations

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A - U.S. State Transportation Departments Input on Federal Regulations ." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Page 52

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52 Departments of transportation (DOTs) were asked to com- ment on changes or improvements to inspection practice and U.S. federal regulations for inspection programs. The most frequent responses were no input or the comment that exist- ing regulations are adequate. Other responses are listed here. Bridge Routine Inspection Interval Four comments by DOTs: • The interval for routine inspection should be approxi- mately two years, and might be better stated as inspec- tion of a bridge in every second calendar year. This would make inspection scheduling easier. • The interval for routine inspection of a bridge should be 24 months only. Culverts might be inspected at longer intervals. • Inspectors should have the authority to set the interval to the next inspection of each bridge, but only to a max- imum interval of 24 months. • The combination of bridge complexity and inspector qualifications should determine a matrix of inspection intervals. Fracture-Critical Inspection Interval Two comments, both proposing longer intervals for some fracture-critical inspections: • Specific bridges: A longer interval is appropriate for bridges on low-volume roads, bridges with a low vol- ume of truck traffic, and bridges that have low stresses. • Specific inspections: Routine intensity inspections at 24 months can supplement hands-on inspections at longer intervals. Certification of Inspectors Three comments: • There should be no certification of inspectors. • Certification of inspectors should include testing of ap- plicants. • Certification should include an entry-level grade for in- spectors assigned to simple bridges only. Quality Control and Quality Assurance Procedures Two points: • Procedures should be determined by state DOTs. • Formal requirements should be developed at the federal level. Additional Comment on Regulations for Bridge Inspection • DOTs indicate a need for a central source of infor- mation and discussion of federal regulations and its interpretation. APPENDIX A U.S. State Transportation Departments’ Input on Federal Regulations

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TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 375: Bridge Inspection Practices examines bridge inspection practices in the United States and selected foreign countries. The report explores inspection personnel (staff titles and functions, qualifications, training and certification, inspection teams, and the assignment of teams to bridges), inspection types (focus, methods, and frequency), and inspection quality control and quality assurance. The report also reviews the uses agencies make of information gathered from bridge inspections, what triggers repairs, and plans for future development of inspection programs.

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