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NATIONAL
NCHRP SYNTHESIS 375
COOPERATIVE
HIGHWAY
RESEARCH
PROGRAM
Bridge Inspection Practices
A Synthesis of Highway Practice
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TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2007 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*
OFFICERS
Chair: Linda S. Watson, CEO, LYNXCentral Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Orlando
Vice Chair: Debra L. Miller, Secretary, Kansas DOT, Topeka
Executive Director: Robert E. Skinner, Jr., Transportation Research Board
MEMBERS
J. BARRY BARKER, Executive Director, Transit Authority of River City, Louisville, KY
MICHAEL W. BEHRENS, Executive Director, Texas DOT, Austin
ALLEN D. BIEHLER, Secretary, Pennsylvania DOT, Harrisburg
JOHN D. BOWE, President, Americas Region, APL Limited, Oakland, CA
LARRY L. BROWN, SR., Executive Director, Mississippi DOT, Jackson
DEBORAH H. BUTLER, Vice President, Customer Service, Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries, Atlanta, GA
ANNE P. CANBY, President, Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, Washington, DC
NICHOLAS J. GARBER, Henry L. Kinnier Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
ANGELA GITTENS, Vice President, Airport Business Services, HNTB Corporation, Miami, FL
SUSAN HANSON, Landry University Professor of Geography, Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, MA
ADIB K. KANAFANI, Cahill Professor of Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
HAROLD E. LINNENKOHL, Commissioner, Georgia DOT, Atlanta
MICHAEL D. MEYER, Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
MICHAEL R. MORRIS, Director of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments, Arlington
JOHN R. NJORD, Executive Director, Utah DOT, Salt Lake City
PETE K. RAHN, Director, Missouri DOT, Jefferson City
SANDRA ROSENBLOOM, Professor of Planning, University of Arizona, Tucson
TRACY L. ROSSER, Vice President, Corporate Traffic, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR
ROSA CLAUSELL ROUNTREE, Executive Director, Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority, Atlanta
HENRY G. (GERRY) SCHWARTZ, JR., Senior Professor, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
C. MICHAEL WALTON, Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering, University of Texas, Austin
STEVE WILLIAMS, Chairman and CEO, Maverick Transportation, Inc., Little Rock, AR
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
THAD ALLEN (Adm., U.S. Coast Guard), Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC
THOMAS J. BARRETT (Vice Adm., U.S. Coast Guard, ret.), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrator, U.S.DOT
JOSEPH H. BOARDMAN, Federal Railroad Administrator, U.S.DOT
REBECCA M. BREWSTER, President and COO, American Transportation Research Institute, Smyrna, GA
PAUL R. BRUBAKER, Research and Innovative Technology Administrator, U.S.DOT
GEORGE BUGLIARELLO, Chancellor, Polytechnic University of New York, Brooklyn, and Foreign Secretary, National Academy
of Engineering, Washington, DC
J. RICHARD CAPKA, Federal Highway Administrator, U.S.DOT
SEAN T. CONNAUGHTON, Maritime Administrator, U.S.DOT
EDWARD R. HAMBERGER, President and CEO, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC
JOHN H. HILL, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator, U.S.DOT
JOHN C. HORSLEY, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC
J. EDWARD JOHNSON, Director, Applied Science Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, John C. Stennis
Space Center, MS
WILLIAM W. MILLAR, President, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
NICOLE R. NASON, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator, U.S.DOT
JEFFREY N. SHANE, Under Secretary for Policy, U.S.DOT
JAMES S. SIMPSON, Federal Transit Administrator, U.S.DOT
CARL A. STROCK (Lt. Gen., U.S. Army), Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC
ROBERT A. STURGELL, Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S.DOT
*Membership as of October 2007.
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NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM
NCHRP SYNTHESIS 375
Bridge Inspection Practices
A Synthesis of Highway Practice
CONSULTANT
GEORGE HEARN
University of Colorado, Boulder
S UBJECT A REAS
Bridges, Other Structures, Hydraulics and Hydrology, and Maintenance
Research Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
in Cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD
WASHINGTON, D.C.
2007
www.TRB.org
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NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM NCHRP SYNTHESIS 375
Systematic, well-designed research provides the most effective Project 20-5 (Topic 37-05)
approach to the solution of many problems facing highway ISSN 0547-5570
administrators and engineers. Often, highway problems are of local ISBN 978-0-309-09795-6
interest and can best be studied by highway departments Library of Congress Control No. 2007907340
individually or in cooperation with their state universities and © 2007 Transportation Research Board
others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transportation
develops increasingly complex problems of wide interest to
highway authorities. These problems are best studied through a
COPYRIGHT PERMISSION
coordinated program of cooperative research.
In recognition of these needs, the highway administrators of the Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for
American Association of State Highway and Transportation obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the
Officials initiated in 1962 an objective national highway research copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein.
program employing modern scientific techniques. This program is Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce
material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes.
supported on a continuing basis by funds from participating
Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be
member states of the Association and it receives the full cooperation used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FMCSA, FTA, or Transit
and support of the Federal Highway Administration, United States Development Corporation endorsement of a particular product, method, or
Department of Transportation. practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document
The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment
was requested by the Association to administer the research of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the
program because of the Board's recognized objectivity and material, request permission from CRP.
understanding of modern research practices. The Board is uniquely
suited for this purpose as it maintains an extensive committee
structure from which authorities on any highway transportation NOTICE
subject may be drawn; it possesses avenues of communications and
cooperation with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the National
universities, and industry; its relationship to the National Research Cooperative Highway Research Program conducted by the Transportation
Research Board with the approval of the Governing Board of the National
Council is an insurance of objectivity; it maintains a full-time
Research Council. Such approval reflects the Governing Board's judgment that
research correlation staff of specialists in highway transportation the program concerned is of national importance and appropriate with respect
matters to bring the findings of research directly to those who are in to both the purposes and resources of the National Research Council.
a position to use them. The members of the technical committee selected to monitor this project and
The program is developed on the basis of research needs to review this report were chosen for recognized scholarly competence and
identified by chief administrators of the highway and transportation with due consideration for the balance of disciplines appropriate to the project.
departments and by committees of AASHTO. Each year, specific The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied are those of the research
areas of research needs to be included in the program are proposed agency that performed the research, and, while they have been accepted as
to the National Research Council and the Board by the American appropriate by the technical committee, they are not necessarily those of the
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Transportation Research Board, the National Research Council, the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, or the Federal
Research projects to fulfill these needs are defined by the Board, and
Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.
qualified research agencies are selected from those that have Each report is reviewed and accepted for publication by the technical
submitted proposals. Administration and surveillance of research committee according to procedures established and monitored by the
contracts are the responsibilities of the National Research Council Transportation Research Board Executive Committee and the Governing
and the Transportation Research Board. Board of the National Research Council.
The needs for highway research are many, and the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program can make significant
contributions to the solution of highway transportation problems of
mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program,
however, is intended to complement rather than to substitute for or
duplicate other highway research programs.
Published reports of the
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM
are available from:
Transportation Research Board
Business Office
500 Fifth Street, NW
NOTE: The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, the
Washington, DC 20001
National Research Council, the Federal Highway Administration, the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the individual and can be ordered through the Internet at:
states participating in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore
not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear
herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of this report. Printed in the United States of America
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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished schol-
ars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology
and to their use for the general welfare. On the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in
1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and techni-
cal matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Acad-
emy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration
and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for
advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs
aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achieve-
ments of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the
services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining
to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of
Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, on its own initiative,
to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the
Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate
the broad community of science and technology with the Academys í p urposes of furthering knowledge and
advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad-
emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences
and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scien-
tific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both the Academies and the Insti-
tute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively,
of the National Research Council.
The Transportation Research Board is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council. The
mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and
progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisci-
plinary, and multimodal. The Board's varied activities annually engage about 7,000 engineers, scientists, and
other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of
whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation depart-
ments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation,
and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org
www.national-academies.org
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NCHRP COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT 20-5 COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS STAFF
CHRISTOPHER W. JENKS, Director, Cooperative Research
CHAIR Programs
GARY D. TAYLOR, CTE Engineers CRAWFORD F. JENCKS, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research
Programs
MEMBERS EILEEN DELANEY, Director of Publications
THOMAS R. BOHUSLAV, Texas DOT
DWIGHT HORNE, Federal Highway Administration NCHRP SYNTHESIS STAFF
YSELA LLORT, Florida DOT STEPHEN R. GODWIN, Director for Studies and Special Programs
WESLEY S.C. LUM, California DOT JON M. WILLIAMS, Associate Director, IDEA and Synthesis Studies
JAMES W. MARCH, Federal Highway Administration GAIL STABA, Senior Program Officer
JOHN M. MASON, JR., Pennsylvania State University DONNA L. VLASAK, Senior Program Officer
CATHERINE NELSON, Oregon DOT DON TIPPMAN, Editor
LARRY VELASQUEZ, New Mexico DOT CHERYL KEITH, Senior Program Assistant
PAUL T. WELLS, New York State DOT
TOPIC PANEL
FHWA LIAISON RICARDO GONZALEZ, Texas Department of Transportation
WILLIAM ZACCAGNINO RAYMOND HARTLE, Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., Moon Township,
Pennsylvania
TRB LIAISON TERRY D. LEATHERWOOD, Tennessee Department of
STEPHEN F. MAHER Transportation
FRANK N. LISLE, Transportation Research Board
PETER C. MCCOWAN, New York State Department of
Transportation
DENNIS R. MERTZ, University of Delaware
TODD THOMPSON, South Dakota Department of Transportation
PETER WHITFIELD, California Department of Transportation
THOMAS D. EVERETT, Federal Highway Administration (Liaison)
CALVIN KARPER, Federal Highway Administration (Liaison)
Cover photograph: St. Johns Bridge, Portland Oregon. (Courtesy: Oregon
Department of Transportation, Bridge Inspection Pocket Coding Guide, 2007.)
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FOREWORD Highway administrators, engineers, and researchers often face problems for which infor-
By Staff mation already exists, either in documented form or as undocumented experience and prac-
Transportation tice. This information may be fragmented, scattered, and unevaluated. As a consequence,
Research Board full knowledge of what has been learned about a problem may not be brought to bear on its
solution. Costly research findings may go unused, valuable experience may be overlooked,
and due consideration may not be given to recommended practices for solving or alleviat-
ing the problem.
There is information on nearly every subject of concern to highway administrators and
engineers. Much of it derives from research or from the work of practitioners faced with
problems in their day-to-day work. To provide a systematic means for assembling and eval-
uating such useful information and to make it available to the entire highway community,
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials--through the
mechanism of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program--authorized the
Transportation Research Board to undertake a continuing study. This study, NCHRP Proj-
ect 20-5, "Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems," searches out and syn-
thesizes useful knowledge from all available sources and prepares concise, documented
reports on specific topics. Reports from this endeavor constitute an NCHRP report series,
Synthesis of Highway Practice.
This synthesis series reports on current knowledge and practice, in a compact format,
without the detailed directions usually found in handbooks or design manuals. Each report
in the series provides a compendium of the best knowledge available on those measures
found to be the most successful in resolving specific problems.
PREFACE This synthesis reports on bridge inspection practices in the United States and selected for-
eign countries. Specifically, it is a collection of information on formal inspection practices
of departments of transportation (DOTs). For U.S. inspection practices, information is pre-
sented on inspection personnel (staff titles and functions, qualifications, training and certifi-
cation, inspection teams, and the assignment of teams to bridges), inspection types (focus,
methods, and frequency), and inspection quality control and quality assurance by the DOT
inspection programs. Foreign practices are also presented according to inspection personnel,
types, and quality programs. Also examined are uses agencies make of information gathered
from bridge inspections, what triggers repairs, and plans for future development of inspec-
tion programs. Information from Canadian sources can be found in Appendix C.
Information for the study was collected through a DOT survey and reviewed bridge
inspection manuals. Information was also obtained from 7 European transportation agen-
cies and the South African transportation agency.
George Hearn, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Uni-
versity of Colorado, Boulder, collected and synthesized the information and wrote the
report. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on the preceding page. This syn-
thesis is an immediately useful document that records the practices that were acceptable
within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation. As progress
in research and practice continues, new knowledge will be added to that now at hand.
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CONTENTS
1 SUMMARY
3 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Transportation Agencies and Information Sources, 3
Overview of Inspection Practices, 3
7 CHAPTER TWO TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES
U.S. Inspection Inventory, 7
Administrative Levels, 7
Road Agencies in Other Nations, 7
Bridge Inspection Inventory--Foreign Agencies, 12
13 CHAPTER THREE INSPECTION PROGRAM PERSONNEL
U.S. Inspection Staff Titles, 13
Responsibilities of Inspection Program Staff, 14
Qualifications of Inspection Staff, 15
Inspection Teams, 16
Inspection Program Staff--Foreign Agencies, 16
Qualifications of Inspection Staff--Foreign Agencies, 18
Inspection Teams--Foreign Agencies, 24
26 CHAPTER FOUR INSPECTION TYPES AND INTERVALS
U.S. Inspections, 26
Inspection Types--Foreign Road Agencies, 30
Underwater Inspection--Foreign Agencies, 37
Bridge Condition Data--Foreign Agencies, 38
Access for Inspections--Foreign Agencies, 42
44 CHAPTER FIVE QUALITY PROGRAMS
Quality Programs of U.S. State Departments of Transportation, 44
Quality Assurance, 45
Quality Programs--Foreign Practice, 46
48 CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSIONS
51 REFERENCES
52 APPENDIX A U.S. STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS' INPUT ON
FEDERAL REGULATIONS
53 APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE
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70 APPENDIX C BRIDGE INSPECTION PRACTICES OF
CANADIAN TRANSPORT AGENCIES
90 APPENDIX D INFORMATION RESOURCES AND RESPONDENTS
94 APPENDIX E DETAILS FOR PROGRAM INSPECTION PERSONNEL
145 APPENDIX F DETAILS FOR INSPECTION TYPES AND INTERVALS
170 APPENDIX G DETAILS FOR QUALITY PROGRAMS
