Bridge Condition Assessment by Visual Inspection-Croatian Experience

Most decisions relating to bridge maintenance are founded on assessments that are based on visual inspections conducted by specially trained engineers,using procedures and aids defined in the management system.Visual inspection is the main tool for bridge condition assessment,and is therefore of crucial significance for planning periodic maintenance activities.Paper shall present the study aimed at harmonizing bridge assessment activities,which was conducted in early 2012 in company Hrvatske ceste-Croatian National Road Authority.Small RC bridges were chosen for this study,since visual inspection is usually only tool utilized for their assessment.Ratings obtained by inspection were analyzed using methods of mathematical statistics.The results point to weaknesses in the current assessment system,while the study itself constitutes a good basis for further improvement of management aids,manuals and procedures for bridge inspection.

Analysis of Historic Pavement and Bridge Conditions and Alternative Funding Levels for the Michigan Department of Transportation

In 1997 the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) established an ambitious set of condition targets for its pavements and bridges, and the Department received increased revenue from a 4-cent-per-gallon increase in the state motor fuels tax to help meet its targets. However, over time, actual revenue was less than both what was initially estimated as needed to meet the targets and what was projected from the tax increase. Consequently, actual conditions were projected to fall short of the target levels, so the department issued bonds to address the shortfall through 2012. To support deliberations on future funding, in 2013 MDOT performed an analysis of historic conditions to determine what additional fuel tax revenues would have been required beginning in 1997 to: replace bond revenues used to fund pavement and bridge projects from 1997 to 2012;and enable MDOT to meet its condition targets. The analysis was performed using data on actual pavement and bridge funding and conditions;as well as predicted funding and conditions for different hypothetical increases in fuel taxes. The analysis concluded that, in addition to the actual increase of 4 cents per gallon, a fuel tax increase of another 10 cents per gallon would have been required in 1997 to replace bond revenue used for pavement and bridges and allow MDOT to meet its condition targets. The analysis results were used to help inform the discussion of Michigan’s target asset conditions and funding, and demonstrate application of MDOT’s pavement and bridge management systems for performing historic analyses.

Assessment of Long-Time Behavior for Bridge Girders Retrofitted with Fiber Reinforced Polymer

Maintaining both the safety and serviceability of deteriorating highway bridge networks necessitates suitable BMS （bridge maintenance system） tools that can maximize cost effectiveness. Numerous experiments have been conducted to detect the long-term mechanical properties of the epoxy resin materials used in FRP （fiber reinforced polymers） strengthening and maintenance technique. Experiments were used to develop a short-term test and construct a model that can reliably predict the long-term behavior of epoxy resin. Furthermore, FEA （finite element analysis） models were developed, using the ANSYS software, to simulate three unstrengthened and FRP strengthened prestressed concrete girder bridges of different configurations. Models simulate the original and aged properties of construction and retrofitting materials under the application of AASHTO （American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials） fatigue truck and a site-specific fatigue truck in different scenarios. These models were used to develop the bridge performance chart for the capacity of the bridge, with and without strengthening interventions, as a BMS tool. The results show an immediate significant improvement in the concrete tensile stress with the intervention of FRP strengthening.