Bridge material selection has traditionally been b~ed on e.ngineering and economi~ criteria. With the increasing interest of the public, industry, and government m sustainable:: development, en~lronmental. assessment in construction is becoming more important. However, we need metrtcs and data on deSign alternatives for effective decision making. In this paper, we present results of a life cycl...

The collapse resulted in the media’s search for immediate answers to the following two questions; why did the bridge collapse and who is to blame? Speculative answers to the first question were proposed by the “Average Joe” and structural engineering experts alike, and involved the usual suspects; the growth from microscopic to catastrophic lengths of undetected cyclic load-induced fatigue crac...

This report shows that safe extension of the service life of existing bridge structures is possible through bridge health monitoring and structural response modification. To understand bridge health monitoring and structural response modification and control, it is necessary to examine: 1) common bridge vulnerabilities, 2) bridge loading models, 3) response modification devices, and 4) bridge m...

With the occurrence of higher and more frequent axle loads, bridges are more solicited by fatigue loading. Bridge elements like deck slabs are subjected to a high number of stress cycles at relatively small stress magnitudes. The application of Fracture Mechanics as a useful tool for the analysis of fatigue crack growth in steel elements was demonstrated by Paris et al. in the early 1960s. With...

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) commissioned a geophysical study to aid in the design of a replacement for an existing concrete span bridge. Because the river current was too swift to place geophones in the river, the solution was to shoot p-wave profiles in a reciprocal geometry (phones on land, shots in the river). In addition to the refraction work, a down-hole seismic profile was ...

Concrete bridge decks are prone to ice accumulation. The use of road salts and chemicals for deicing is cost effective but causes damage to concrete and corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete bridge decks. This problem is a major concern to transportation officials and public works due to rapid degradation of existing concrete pavements and bridge decks. The use of insulation materials for ...