FINAL REPORT EVALUATION OF BRIDGE INSPECTION AND ASSESSMENT IN ILLINOIS Project IVD-H1, FY 00/01 Report No. ITRC FR 00/01-3 Prepared by Farhad Ansari Ying Bao Sue McNeil Adam Tennant Ming Wang and Laxmana Reddy Rapol Urban Transportation Center University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, Illinois December 2003 Illinois Transportation Research Center Illinois Department of Transportation ILLINOIS TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER This research project was sponsored by the State of Illinois, acting by and through its Department of Transportation, according to the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding established with the Illinois Transportation Research Center. The Illinois Transportation Research Center is a joint Public-Private- University cooperative transportation research unit underwritten by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The purpose of the Center is the conduct of research in all modes of transportation to provide the knowledge and technology base to improve the capacity to meet the present and future mobility needs of individuals, industry and commerce of the State of Illinois. Research reports are published throughout the year as research projects are completed. The contents of these reports reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Illinois Transportation Research Center or the Illinois Department of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Neither the United States Government nor the State of Illinois endorses products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear in the reports solely because they are considered essential to the object of the reports. Illinois Transportation Research Center Members Bradley University DePaul University Eastern Illinois University Illinois Department of Transportation Illinois Institute of Technology Northern Illinois University Northwestern University Southern Illinois University Carbondale Southern Illinois University Edwardsville University of Illinois at Chicago University of Illinois at Springfield University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Western Illinois University Reports may be obtained by writing to the administrative offices of the Illinois Transportation Research Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Campus Box 1803, Edwardsville, IL 62026-1803 (telephone 618-650-2972), or you may contact the Engineer of Physical Research, Illinois Department of Transportation, at 217-782-6732. Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. ITRC FR 00/01-3 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date December 2003 Evaluation of Bridge Inspection and Assessment in Illinois 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Farhad Ansari, Ying Bao, Sue McNeil, Adam Tennant, Ming Wang and Laxmana Reddy Rapol 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 12. Contract or Grant No. University of Illinois at Chicago IVD-H1, FY 00/01 Urban Transportation Center 412 South Peoria Street (MC 357) 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Chicago, IL 60067 Final Report 11. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address August 2001 through August 2003 Illinois Transportation Research Center Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Engineering Building, Room 3026 Edwardsville, IL 62026-1803 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract Maintaining, repairing and rehabilitating Illinois’ more than 8,000 bridges in a cost effective manner is critically dependent on reliable inspection and condition assessment data. In the past few years advances in non-destructive testing and inspection data acquisition in the field promise to improve the process considerably. This project explored these advances through a literature review, interviews, surveys, field observations and field-testing. Following extensive interviews and field visits with bridge inspectors and bridge maintenance engineers in Illinois, a survey was distributed to other state Departments of Transportation. The survey identified states using new technologies for data acquisition and visits were arranged to Maryland, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania. Based on the field input and observations in the field, the concept of field data entry and upgraded data acquisition equipment looks the most promising for Illinois. A prototype data acquisition was developed to mimic the current process. Limited field testing met with positive responses. In addition to obtaining new updated equipment, software and training will also be required. The inspection support systems explored in this project are just the preliminary steps in the process of electronically collecting and recording information for IDOT bridge inspections. The procedure can be further developed and simplified in the future as the technology advances. Specific issues include report generation, pen-based application, voice recognition and the development of a web application. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Bridge Inspection, Data Acquisition, Data Management, No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the Bridge Management National Technical Information Service (NTS), Springfield, Virginia 22161 19. Security Classification (of this report) 20. Security Classification (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 274 From DOT 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized Illinois Transportation Research Center Illinois Department of Transportation Illinois Transportation Research Center ITRC Project IVD-H1, FY 00/01 Evaluation of Bridge Inspection and Assessment in Illinois Final Report December 2003 Farhad Ansari, Ying Bao, Sue McNeil, Adam Tennant, Ming Wang and Laxmana Reddy Rapol University of Illinois at Chicago ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research team acknowledges the support, assistance and enthusiasm of the Technical Review Panel. The past and current members are: • Steve P. Negangard • Todd E. Ahrens • Ted H. Ellis (to 12/31/02) • Chris McCarter (after 1/1/03) • John Morris • Tim Krumm (after 1/1/03) • Donald R. Oller (to 12/31/02) • Sarah M. Wilson Similarly, the input from Steve Hanna and Dave Lippert was greatly appreciated. This project relied on the willingness of IDOT bridge maintenance engineers and the bridge inspectors to share their knowledge of bridge inspection, answer our seemingly never ending questions, show us what they look for on bridges, and most importantly, demonstrate their commitment to maintain Illinois’ bridges in their best possible condition. Their open-ness to new ideas and willingness to work under adverse conditions are commendable. Likewise, our contact points in other state DOTs, and the bridge inspectors and engineers who were willing to fill out surveys, and have lengthy telephone conversations with us are also greatly appreciated. Their insights and willingness to share information were wonderful. Finally, the teams responsible for bridge management and inspection in Maryland, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania gave freely of their time, demonstrated their infectious enthusiasm for the topic, and provided a wealth of information. To all participants in this project, a hearty thank you. We could not have completed the project without you. i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Maintaining, repairing and rehabilitating Illinois’ more than 8,000 bridges in a cost effective manner is critically dependent on reliable inspection and condition assessment data. In the past few years advances in non-destructive testing and inspection data acquisition in the field promise to improve the process considerably. This project explores these advances through a literature review, interviews, surveys, field observation and field-testing. As a final task, the project provides recommendations for Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) for the acquisition and use of these technologies. There is a wide variety of technologies applicable to bridge inspection and management in various stages of development. As the technology is rapidly changing in this area, we must be careful to balance the capabilities with the availability of ongoing support. While several articles and promotional brochures proclaim the benefits of the technology, an historical overview suggests that there are few experiences with stable technology. It is also clear that the adoption of any new technology requires a comprehensive approach including training and planning for future upgrades. The literature also suggests that each application must be tailored to the needs of the particular agency. In Illinois, the inspection process varies slightly by district. There are also many different databases that include bridge inspection and assessment data. However, the overall inspection and assessment process focuses on producing consistent data in compliance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) and the inspection data input to the PONTIS bridge management system. Based on interviews with bridge inspectors and bridge maintenance engineers in Illinois, there are opportunities for change, but there are also clearly some constraints that are recognized in the following guidelines for the bridge inspection process: • All changes should be in the context of the current organizational structure. • New technologies should replicate the existing process. • New technologies should follow a well-defined process that