TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 354: Inspection and Management of Bridges with Fracture-Critical Details explores the inspection and maintenance of bridges with fracture-critical members (FCMs), as defined in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications. The report identifies gaps in literature related to the subject; determines practices and problems with how bridge owners define, identify, document, inspect, and manage bridges with fracture-critical details; and identifies specific research needs. Among the areas examined in the report are inspection frequencies and procedures; methods for calculating remaining fatigue life; qualification, availability, and training of inspectors; cost of inspection programs; instances where inspection programs prevented failures; retrofit techniques; fabrication methods and inspections; and experience with fracture-critical members fractures and problems details.

This compendium, compiled by two senior engineers from TWI, draws together information from more than 150 individual specifications, covering national, international and industrial toughness requirements for ferritic materials. It covers applications such as pressure vessels, storage tanks, offshore structures, shipping, bridges and pipelines. The data contained in the compendium are derived from over 100 different sources, many of which are not readily available. The book has been designed as a reference source for structural, mechanical, metallurgical and project engineers concerned with structural integrity of welded plant, and will be of especial value to those working in the nuclear, petrochemical and offshore industries.