This synthesis reports bridge inspection practices in the United States and selected foreign countries. The synthesis is a collection of information on formal inspection practices of departments of transportation (DOTs). These are primarily visual inspections and they provide data to bridge registries and databases. For U.S. inspection practices, this synthesis reports on inspection personnel, inspection types, and inspection quality control and quality assurance. Staff titles and functions in inspection programs are reported, together with qualifications and training of personnel, formation of inspection teams, and assignment of teams to bridges. Inspection types are described in terms of their scope, methods, and intervals. Quality control and quality assurance programs are reviewed in terms of the procedures employed, staff involved, quality measurements obtained, and the use of quality findings in DOT inspection programs. Foreign practices are presented in the same organization of inspection personnel, types, and quality programs. Comparisons of U.S. and foreign inspection practices are included. Information was obtained from a questionnaire sent to U.S. state transportation departments, similar questionnaires modified individually for transportation agencies in selected foreign countries, and formal documents used by transportation departments and agencies. These documents primarily included bridge inspection manuals, inspection training manuals, and technical memoranda, but also included blank forms for inspections, DOTs job descriptions for inspectors, and descriptions of inspection training courses. Overall, this synthesis includes information from forty U.S. state transportation departments and from roads agencies in eight foreign nations (Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). The synthesis also includes, in an appendix, information from a few provincial and municipal transport agencies in Canada.

"TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 782: Proposed Guideline for Reliability-Based Bridge Inspection Practices presents a proposed guideline for reliability-based bridge inspection practices and provides two case studies of the application of the proposed guideline. The guideline describes a methodology to develop a risk-based approach for determining the bridge inspection interval according to the requirements in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)."--Publisher description.

More than a third of America's bridges are considered substandard--either structurally deficient, functionally obsolete or both. Offers first-rate, practical guidance regarding the inspection and rehabilitation of aging bridge infrastructure including all elements involving structure, various materials and design types. Features seismic retrofit and coverage of environmental issues. Each chapter is written by an authority on the subject. Contains top-quality, detailed line illustrations plus photographs of actual rehab projects.

Highway departments around the world are faced with the dilemma of providing improved operations on a "shoe string budget". Even after the much needed infrastructure funding is received, the question of which project comes first must be answered. Written by a 20-year veteran with the Kansas Department Of Transportation Bridge Office in design and in maintenance. Highway Bridge Maintenance Planning and Scheduling provides Senior Bridge Maintenance Engineers or "Senior Squad Leaders", practical advice for creating an effective maintenance program that will allow them to not only plan, schedule, direct and monitor highway bridge repair and rehabilitation project but also evaluate all completed work for technical acceptability, productivity and unit-cost standards. Provides the tools and methods for building and maintaining and effective maintenance planning and scheduling organization Provides experience-based suggestions for evaluating highway bridges and determining maintenance priorities Methods for evaluating all completed work for technical acceptability, productivity and unit-cost standards.

Discusses techniques that require physical measurement for inspection, and/or monitoring of structures.

An Insiders' Guide to Inspecting, Maintaining, and Operating BridgesSuspension bridges are graceful, aesthetic, and iconic structures. Due to their attractiveness and visibility, they are well-known symbols of major cities and countries in the world. They are also essential form of transportation infrastructure built across large bodies of water. D