Abstract
Accurate and reliable deterioration rate estimates for concrete bridge decks are an important part of the overall bridge condition assessment. The main objective of this paper is to determine the time in condition ratings (TICRs) of concrete bridge decks and assess the impact of average daily traffic (ADT), age, and deck area on the bridge deck condition. Condition ratings of bridge decks over 24 years for Michigan state were collected from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data. The Anderson-Darling statistical test was used to evaluate and rank five practical probability distribution functions to select the best fit for Michigan state data. The results indicate that the best statistical model for Michigan state data is the lognormal function. It was illustrated that the TICR decreases when the condition rating decreases. When a concrete bridge deck condition is rated at 8, it can take 11.29 years to drop to the lower rating of 7. However, when the concrete bridge deck condition is rated at 4, it may take 6.64 years to drop to the lower condition rating of 3. It was also observed that on average, bridge decks in Michigan stay much longer than the typical inspection interval (i.e., 2 years), suggesting that inspection intervals can be longer than 2 years for bridges in good condition ranges. The results also show that ADT, age, and deck area are important factors in the deterioration rates of concrete bridge decks.
Highlights
National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBISs) were established by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 and the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) of 1978 directly after the collapse of the Ohio River Bridge in 1967 [1]
When the concrete bridge deck condition is rated at 4, it may take 6.64 years to drop to the lower condition rating of 3
The results revealed that the lognormal distribution function was the best model for the Michigan data
Summary
National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBISs) were established by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 and the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) of 1978 directly after the collapse of the Ohio River Bridge ( known as the Silver Bridge) in 1967 [1]. These standards describe the requirements for regular periodical inspection of bridges. Researchers have suggested the use of accurate and reliable condition assessment techniques can assist in reducing the costs and increasing the efficiency of concrete bridge deck maintenance and repair [5,6]
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