Overview of the Bridge Evaluation Quality Assurance Scan

1. Tom Everett Co-Chair Principal Bridge Engineer Federal Highway Administration Peter Weykamp Co-Chair Bridge Maintenance Program Engineer New York Department of Transportation Overview of the Bridge Evaluation Quality Assurance Scan American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Federal Highway Administration National Cooperative Highway Research Program AASHTO Annual Meeting September, 2007

2. Scan Team Member Home States Tod Kimball FHWA Vermont Paul Jensen Montana DOT Dave Juntunen – MI DOT Larry Hummel – Van Buren County Pete Weykamp New York DOT Harry Capers Arora and Assoc. Dr. Glenn Washer Univ. of Missouri Tom Everett FHWA HQ Randy Cox Texas DOT Tom Drda FHWA North Carolina AASHTO FHWA Academia FHWA HQ Consultant

3. Scan Countries Red – Visited Blue – Met with in Denmark

4. PURPOSE and SCOPE • Assist in NBIS regulation implementation. • Explore effective bridge inspection systems in other countries. • Satisfy the 2001 Data Quality Act. • Review types of data collected by other countries.

5. TOPICS of INTEREST • Organizational Structure and Background • Inspection Data • Personnel Qualifications • Process Control • Equipment • Documentation

6. FINDINGS European agencies value their bridge inspection programs • to insure highway user safety • to insure durability and service- ability expectations are met • to enhance capital investment decisions regarding their existing bridge inventory

7. FINDINGS Emphasis Placed on Quality • Well-defined qualifications, • Uniform inspection type definitions, • Periodic calibration of inspectors, • Data collection processes, • Appropriate use of NDT methods • Multi-tiered inspection • frequencyis not fixed

8. FOCUS AREAS • Team identified many items that could enhance bridge inspection practices within the U.S. and organized them into 8 topic areas for further evaluation.

9. Inspection References and Tools Heavily detailed & illustrated manuals. Damage types quantified and performance indices assigned. Standards developed to quantify concrete cracking in reports. Inspection vehicles equipped with field equipment, office space and bridge records.

10. Reports and Data Management Standardization of reports, forms, terms and condition ratings Digital photographs embedded in inspection reports Designers required to identify critical areas to be inspected Pull down menu of structural condition in software allowing automated generation of condition rating Separate asset management systems for major structures

11. Training And Certification A variety of approaches: • technical educational requirements • specialized training • specific training for Inspector, Team Leader, & PM • qualifying exam for each level Match inspector experience with complexity of bridge. Keep, at minimum, a core of experts within agency.

12. Inspection Types and Frequencies Detailed inspections every 5 to 6 years • Interim inspections focused on areas of interest identified in the detailed inspection • Annual inspections by maintenance • Road workers routinely monitor and report issues of structural condition European road agencies typically inspect spans of two meters.

13. Inspection Types and Frequencies Inspection frequency - based on: • competency of the inspector • inspector qualifications and experience • bridge type, condition, age, etc. Competency standards provide assurance inspectors can safely determine the frequency.

14. Reference Bridges Finnish use a population of 106 bridges and 26 culverts as a control sample Data gathered is used to: • Monitor bridge serviceability and durability over time • Update deterioration models in bridge management system • Quality Control of data from non-Reference Bridges by providing baseline data for comparison • Training and evaluation of inspectors Several agencies use bridges to be demolished to evaluate the effectiveness of NDT methods.

15. Reference Bridges Data collected from Reference Bridges in Finland is analyzed to: • determine an inspectors personal “quality points” • monitor trends in data quality and consistency Quality points are used • As part of procurement process • To develop refresher training for inspectors Finland requires QC plan in consultant agreements

16. Non Destructive Testing (NDT) • Used primarily during in-depth inspections. • Detailed references outlining appropriate use. • Unique applications such as Ultrasonic Shear Wave Transducer.

17. Cause of Damage Determination Inspectors Determine Cause of Failure Inspectors are trained to assess damage to a structural element and recommend action based on: • structural stability, user safety & effect on the damaged component’s durability Procedures to initiate actions based on the severity of the condition.

18. BASt SYSTEMCalculation of Condition Index Example: S = 2 (Structural Stability) V = 2 (Traffic Safety) D = 3 (Durability)

20. DATA USAGE • POOR to BAD • Replace • GOOD to GREAT • PM • FAIR • Urgency of Repair • Can it be Safely Deferred? GOOD FAIR POOR

21. OTHER German DVD, “Inspection According to German Industrial Standard (DIN) No 1076”. • Intended for viewing by the general public, politicians, management officials, etc. • Provides support for bridge and structure inspection. Inspection friendly, security wise details were also incorporated into the design of bridges on a routine basis

22. RECOMMENDATIONS • Develop a nationally accepted basis for determining bridge inspection frequencies • Draft national guidelines for developing QC/QA procedures for use by owners • Develop a national integrated inspection - repair approach in bridge assessments • Enhance FHWA coding guide will photos

23. RECOMMENDATIONS • Develop a bridge inspection central resource of references and technologies • Initiate demonstration project of Ultrasonic Shear Wave Transducer • Interchange with Finnish Roads on the use of statistical methods for quality assurance • Technical interchange between countries

24. Current and Planned Post-Trip Activities Preliminary Summary Report – submitted Finalize and disseminate final report Scan Technology Implementation Plan • Two NCHRP proposals (both submitted and under consideration) • Final STIP will be available October, 2007 Technology transfer activities

25. ILLUSTRATED INSPECTION MANUALS

26. GOALS • National adoption of a QC/QA concepts that improve the consistency and uniformity of bridge inspections across the country • A reliability based approach for inspection frequency • An integrated approach to the inspection program

27. Bridge Evaluation Quality Assurance Thank You Questions?