Abstract
Driven by advancements in technology, along with the ever-growing demands of our aging infrastructure, structural evaluation through testing has progressed from a number of research endeavors to a full-fledged industry. Guidelines for Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) methods, diagnostic load testing, and proof load testing were published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in 2003 and were largely shaped by the technologies that were available in the 1990s. While specifications in subsequent AASHTO bridge evaluation manuals have remained relatively constant over the last 15 years, commercial applications have sprung forth in all areas of field-based bridge assessment. Much of the development has revolved around inexpensive high-speed data acquisition, high-speed wireless communications, and the surge of cloud-based data management. The market of equipment and services has developed around three main camps; NDE, Controlled Load Testing, and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), with each field having a variety of subcategories. For example, Diagnostic Load Tests and Proof Load Tests are the two primary forms of controlled load testing. Selection of the appropriate tools and methods to solve any bridge assessment is a function of what information is available and the required functional serviceability of the structure. In many cases, a combination of methods must be employed to achieve a complete assessment. As such, the lines between NDE, Testing, and SHM have blurred and have become increasingly integral gears of a larger machine. This article provides a history of the primary field bridge evaluation techniques and includes the driving forces in commercial development. Focus is placed primarily on diagnostic load test methodology; however, a variety of testing methods are outlined to illustrate the best tool for the job, along with the several pros and cons of various testing and monitoring methods. Finally, a glimpse into the future of bridge evaluation is provided based on current trends and emerging technologies.
Highlights
The history of bridge testing and bridge evaluation in general is one of failure
Political, and commercial pressure is pushing physical bridge evaluation methods out of research and into an actual industry. This is evident by the flow of money from government agencies for load testing, structural monitoring, and a variety of Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) projects that are geared toward emergency assessment, predictive maintenance, and asset management, rather than purely university research
The primary point of this paper is that capabilities in instrumentation, electronics, and computing technology have improved exponentially in the last 30 years while the load testing specifications and largely the thought processes behind testing have remained unchanged
Summary
The history of bridge testing and bridge evaluation in general is one of failure. The most infamous failure in US history was the collapse of the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River in 1967, killing 46 people This tragedy spawned the National Bridge Inspection Program as part of the “Federal Highway Act of 1968” and the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) were established in 1971. Political, and commercial pressure is pushing physical bridge evaluation methods out of research and into an actual industry. This is evident by the flow of money from government agencies for load testing, structural monitoring, and a variety of NDE projects that are geared toward emergency assessment, predictive maintenance, and asset management, rather than purely university research. A glimpse into the future is provided based on the research activities currently being performed and the new tech that researchers are playing with
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