Bridge Inspections:
Assessing Defects and
Details for Safety
Neil Brockman, P.Eng.
Lead Bridge Engineer
Bridge Office – Rehabilitation Section
Jim Au, P.Eng. Darryl Langendoen, P.Eng.
Head, Bridge Management Section Lead Bridge Engineer
Bridge Office Bridge Office – Bridge Management Section
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Overview
The Ontario Structural Inspection Manual (OSIM) has detailed information on
capturing the condition of bridges during an Inspection. Not covered today.
This webinar will focus on addressing defects and other problematic details
that a bridge owner or engineer may encounter.
Real world examples.
This webinar will focus on ensuring bridges are SAFE.
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Introduction
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A BRIDGE
INSPECTION?
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Introduction
What is the purpose of a bridge inspection?
1. Assess if the bridge is SAFE for the public to use
2. Identify major structural issues and FOLLOW-UP when
necessary
3. Quantify the overall CONDITION to help with setting and
prioritizing capital needs
4. Identify routine MAINTENANCE needs
5. Maintain a HISTORY of bridge condition
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Introduction
THE MAIN GOAL IS TO ENSURE THE
BRIDGE IS SAFE
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Defect Assessment
Relevancy, Severity, and Urgency of Defects
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Defect Assessment
When assessing a defect, we need to think about:
1. RELEVANCY – Does this directly affect safety?
2. SEVERITY – How bad is it?
3. URGENCY – How quickly do we need to address this?
This is a good practice to exercise in addition to the requirements in OSIM.
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Relevancy of Defects
Thinking about the relevancy of a defect is
the first step to assessing safety.
Routine issues due to natural aging and
use are usually not highly relevant
Asphalt ravelling
Look for defects that
Hairline concrete cracking
Snowplough damage to curb faces
are abnormal first.
Non-Routine issues may be anomalies, and
hence very relevant These are indications of
Significant deflection of girders
Medium and wide flexural or shear
cracks
a potential safety issue.
Loss of material under spread footings
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Relevancy of Defects
LOW RELEVANCY
Has little to no effect on safety
today or in the future
Localized spalls, scaling, etc.
MEDIUM RELEVANCY
May affect safety in the near future
if left unaddressed
Loose concrete on soffit, unevenly
loaded bearing, etc.
HIGH RELEVANCY
Directly affects safety today or in
the immediate future
Medium to wide shear cracks, impact-
damaged girder, wide flexural cracks,
missing sidewalk joint cover plate
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Severity of Defects
Once the relevancy of a defect is
considered, think about its severity.
How much of the structure is this
affecting? A lot of the assessment
Is this enough to cause a major
issue? is through experience
The severity of a defect relates to its
and good judgement.
current state of deterioration
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Severity of Defects
LOW SEVERITY
Defect is very localized, or minor in nature
Light and some Medium defects
Most surface defects (scaling, honeycombing,
flushing, etc.)
MEDIUM SEVERITY
Defect is more widespread and/or somewhat advanced
in state
Most medium defects
Some localized severe and very severe defects on
non-structural components
HIGH SEVERITY
Defect is widespread, and/or advanced in state
Wide flexural cracks in soffit
Medium or wide shear cracks in concrete
Severe section loss of steel member
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Urgency of Defects
The URGENCY of a defect can be assessed based on its
RELEVANCY and SEVERITY
LOW URGENCY MEDIUM URGENCY HIGH URGENCY
• Low Relevancy, Low • Low Relevancy, High • High Relevancy, High
Severity Severity Severity
• Low Relevancy, Medium • High Relevancy, Low • High Relevancy, Medium
Severity Severity Severity
• Medium Relevancy, Low • Medium Relevancy, Medium • Medium Relevancy, High
Severity Severity Severity
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- Bridge Details Requiring Special Attention
- Hidden Members/Connections
- Non-Redundant Members or Connections
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Bridge Details Requiring Special Attention
Some bridge design details used in the past are known
today to be problematic or even high risk that require
special attention.
Special care should be taken when inspecting structures
with these details.
The Owner should be aware if their bridges with these
types of details exist in their inventory
If it does, additional attention should be made to mitigate
the risk of failure.
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Hidden Members/Connections
Modern bridges are designed to ensure all bridge components is
accessible for inspection as much as possible.
However, this was not always the case for bridges built in the past
Some critical details or components may be hidden and cannot be
visually inspected.
That's why inspection engineer must review all drawings
including rehab drawings to make sure if such details exist or not.
The adverse effect can be significant if those hidden components
are ignored or not inspected
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Non-Redundant Members or Connections
Special care should always be taken on bridges with little or no redundancy.
Structural Redundancy:
Redundant structure:
Structures that have multiple load paths available
Failure of one main load carrying element will not result in total collapse
Example : Slab on multi-girder Bridges
Non redundant structure:
Structures that have single load path only
A single broken component can cause the collapse of the entire structure
Example: Truss or 2 girder bridges.
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Case 1: Arch Bridge with Hidden
Connection Detail
The connection was hidden inside the arch member at the
top and not visible for inspection.
Failure occurred due to fractures in the hanger rods which
connected the deck to the overhead arch, resulting in
significant deformation in the deck.
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Case 2: Slab Bridge with Halving Joint
Conditions of halving joints for slab
bridge is only visible at the soffit.
Majority of the surface (i.e. interior
face) not visible for inspection
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Case 3: Non-Redundant Structure & Element
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Case 4: Non-Redundant Structure & Element
Collapse was found due to corroded steel pins
Inadequate inspection / maintenance of the pin
and hanger system was to blame
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Case 5: Bridge with Uplift Reaction
Bridges may have uplift reactions at the abutments when the end span is 60%
or less of the main span(s) for bridges of 3 spans or more.
If the dead load of the end spans are not large enough to counteract the uplift
due to loading on the main span. Hold down device(s) are required
Unequal spans for 2 span bridges can also cause uplift.
In some cases the hold down device may not be visible for inspection.
Failure of hold down devices for
resisting uplift
< 0.6*S S < 0.6*S 21
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Case 6: Bridge with Hidden Primary Structural
Members
Total collapse due to inadequate inspection /
maintenance for the heavily corroded hidden
main structural members
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Reference: Rail Accident Report, Derailment of a freight train near Stewarton, Ayrshire 27 January 2009,
Report 02/2010 February 2010, Rail Accident Investigation Branch Department of Transport, UK
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Managing Hidden Components
Identity bridge with hidden components
Understanding risk features
Implementing a targeted inspection regime to inspect the hidden
element regularly
Evaluation and intervention
Mitigation works
Make use of NDT such as ultrasonic tests
Revisit to assess change in condition. Condition of hidden details may
change over time due to:
Condition degradation
Load changes
Changes in load path
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Example of Managing Hidden Details
4 spans deck truss built in 1958
Total length 208 m. Largest span 76 m with 38 m suspended span connected by pins
Width of structure 15.4 m
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Example of managing hidden details
Pin arresting system added as part of major rehab
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Risk Remediation Approaches
If unacceptable risk remains, remedial works are
required. This may include:
Inspect the structure more frequently
Monitoring
Load restrictions
Further numerical assessment/evaluation
Component replacement
Alternative load path provision
Strengthening
Bridge replacement
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Case Studies
OBJECTIVE
We will review five case studies and determine:
1. Is the bridge safe?
2. What is/are the critical defects?
3. What is the relevancy, severity, and urgency of the critical defects?
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Case Study #1
Bridge Type Timber-Concrete Composite Slab
7-Span Continuous
Span
47.5m Length (5.5m, 5 x 7.3m,
Arrangement
5.5m)
11.0m Overall Width
Cross Section
2 Travelled Lanes
Location Northeast Ontario
Year Built 1975
Last Rehab None
Current BCI 65.5
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Case Study #1
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Case Study #1
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Case Study #1
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Case Study #1
Critical defect is the severe sagging of the timber
deck near the deck drain.
Loss of composite action with concrete deck; strength is compromised
Location is at one of the mid-span sections – maximum bending
Bridge is potentially unsafe.
Defect is highly relevant, is very severe in nature, and is highly urgent to address
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Case Study #2
Bridge Type Half Through Truss (Pony)
Span 1-Span
Arrangement 37.0m Length
8.4m Overall Width
Cross Section
2 Travelled Lanes
Location Southwest Ontario
Year Built 1953
2012 (Minor Rehab), 2009 (Gusset
Plate Strengthening), 2003 (Minor
Last Rehab
Coating Rehab), 1992 (Major
rehab)
Current BCI 66.0
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Case Study #2
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Case Study #2
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Case Study #2
Critical defect is the severe delamination and
separation of the abutment near the truss bearing
Failure of this area could lead to partial or total collapse of the bridge
Bridge is potentially unsafe.
Defect is highly relevant, is very severe in nature, and is highly urgent to address
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Case Study #3
Bridge Type Steel Plate I-Girder
3-Span Continuous
Span
158.5m Length ( 39.6m, 79.3m,
Arrangement
39.6m)
10.0m Overall Width
Cross Section
2 Travelled Lanes
Location Northwest Region – Hwy 102
Year Built 1975
2011 (Minor Rehab, new asphalt),
Last Rehab
1998 (Major Rehab)
Current BCI 68.4
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Case Study #3
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Case Study #3
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Case Study #3
Critical defect is the very severe disintegration of
the abutment near the girder bearing
Failure of this area could lead to a localized displacement of the
superstructure.
Multiple girders provide redundancy
Bridge is likely safe, but the defect should be addressed quickly
Defect is medium relevancy (due to redundancy), is very severe in nature, and is
somewhat urgent to address
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Case Study #4
Bridge Type Rigid Frame, T-Beam
3-Span Continuous
Span
57.0m Length (16.0m, 25.0m,
Arrangement
16.0m)
13.0m Overall Width
Cross Section
2 Travelled Lanes
Location East Region – Hwy 28
Year Built 1953
2005 (Major Rehab, incl. new
Last Rehab
overlay)
Current BCI 71.0
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Case Study #4
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Case Study #4
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Case Study #4
Critical defect is the very severe wide longitudinal
crack in the exterior girder
Defect indicates distress in the girder.
Cracking can accelerate rebar corrosion (moisture, chlorides, etc.)
Multiple beams & monolithic slab provides redundancy
Bridge is likely safe, but the defect should be addressed quickly
Defect is medium relevancy (due to redundancy), is very severe in nature, and is
somewhat urgent to address
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Case Study #5
Bridge Type Suspension – Steel Arch
Span Single Span
Arrangement 109.6m Length
12.0m Overall Width
Cross Section
2 Travelled Lanes
Location Northeast Region – Hwy 11
Year Built 1960
1992 (Major Rehab)
2004 (Deck/Girder replacement
Last Rehab
due to failure of original hanger
system)
Current BCI 82.5
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Case Study #5
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Case Study #5
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Case Study #5
Critical defect is the very severe wide vertical cracks
in the abutment
These cracks indicate tension failure of the front face rebar
The abutment wants to “pull apart” due to the two concentrated bearing reactions
Some redundancy in remainder of bars, but if abutment fails the entire bridge
would likely collapse
Bridge is likely safe in the short term, but the issue must be addressed as quickly as
possible
Defect is medium to high relevancy (due to some redundancy), is very severe in nature,
and is highly urgent to address
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Summary
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Summary
The #1 goal of a bridge inspection is to assess SAFETY
Spend time critically thinking about the cause and effect of defects
How relevant is this to safety?
How bad is this defect?
How urgently should this be addressed?
Remember that some bridges have details that require special attention, or may
be hidden.
Filling out OSIM inspection forms and quantifying defects is secondary to assessing
safety
Immediately flag urgent inspection items to Owners
Don’t just note these items in the OSIM report – make a phone call or send an email
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THANK YOU!
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