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Description / Abstract:
INTRODUCTION
The proper assessment of the condition of bridge elements is the
cornerstone of sound bridge management. The introduction of element
inspection condition methods in the early 1990s represented a
significant advancement in the bridge inspection practice and has
been adopted by the vast majority of all State Transportation
Departments in the United States. Bridge owners nationwide have
recognized the benefits of detailed condition assessments through
the use of the raw inspection information, expanded performance
measures, and bridge management system deterioration forecasting
and evaluation. As the use of element level inspection techniques
has proliferated, the need for improvements has been identifi ed.
This manual incorporates improvements through changes in the
measurement units of decks and slabs, the development of a wearing
surface element, the standardization of the number of element
states, the development of a protective coating element, and the
incorporation of expanded element Smart Flags. The goal of this
manual is to completely capture the condition of bridges in a
simple way that can be standardized across the nation while
providing the fl exibility to be adapted to both large and small
agency settings. This manual is not intended to supplant proper
training or the exercise of engineering judgment by the inspector
or professional engineer.