Optimal Inspection Scheduling of Steel Bridges Using Nondestructive Testing Techniques
This article has been corrected.
VIEW CORRECTIONPublication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 11, Issue 3
Abstract
A probabilistic approach is proposed to help select the most suitable nondestructive inspection (NDI) technique and associated optimal schedule for fracture-critical member/detail fatigue inspections on a specific steel bridge. The probability of detection (POD) function for the NDI technique, which is a measure of the detection accuracy, is employed. By combining probability calculations based on use of the POD function together with numerical Monte Carlo simulations of the crack propagation of the fracture-critical detail, a cost function is formulated that includes the expected cost of inspections and failure resulting from the chosen NDI technique and alternative inspection schedules. In summary, the selection of an NDI technique with an associated inspection schedule for fracture-critical inspections is formulated as an optimization problem that can guarantee minimum total cost. The inspection frequency is determined as part of the optimization that utilizes appropriate constraints on inspection intervals and a minimum acceptable (target) structural safety level. A case study for a box girder bridge is presented to demonstrate the application of the proposed probabilistic method.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgment
The writers gratefully acknowledge financial support through a research grant awarded by the Texas Department of Transportation as part of Project No. 0-2135, Inspection Guidelines for Fracture-Critical Steel Trapezoidal Girders.
References
Berens, A. P. (1989). “NDE reliability analysis.” Metals handbook, 9th Ed., Vol. 17, ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio, 689–701.
Berens, A. P., and Hovey, P. W. (1981). “Evaluation of NDE reliability characterization.” AFWAL-TR-81-4160, Vol. 1, Air Force Wright-Aeronautical Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.
Cramer, E. H., and Friis-Hansen, P. (1992). “Reliability based optimization of multi-component welded structures.” Proc., 11th Int. Conf. on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 2, ASME, New York, 265–271.
Faber, M. H., Sorensen, J. D., and Kroon, I. (1992). “Optimal inspection strategies for offshore structural systems.” Proc., 11th Int. Conf. on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 2, ASME, New York, 145–151.
Hartle, R. A., Amrhein, W. J., Wilson, K. E., III, Bauhman, D. R., and Tkacs, J. J. (1995). “Bridge inspector’s training manual 90.” FHWA-PD-91-015, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.
Johnson, R. A. (2000). Miller and Freund’s probability and statistics for engineers, 6th Ed., Prentice-Hall, Upper Sadde River, N.J.
Madsen, H. O., Krenk, S., and Lind, N. C. (1985). Methods of structural safety, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Miner, M. A. (1945). “Cumulative damage in fatigue.” J. Appl. Mech., 12(3), 159–164.
Paris, P. C., and Erdogan, F. (1963). “A critical analysis of crack propagation laws.” J. Basic Eng., 85, 528–534.
Rummel, W. D. (1998). “Probability of detection as a quantitative measure of nondestructive testing end-to-end process capabilities.” Mater. Eval., 56(1), 29–35.
Rummel, W. D., and Matzkanin, G. A. (1997). Nondestructive evaluation capabilities data book, Nondestructive Testing Information Analysis Center, Austin, Tex.
Schilling, C. G., Klippstein, K. H., Barsom, J. M., and Blake, G. T. (1978). “Fatigue of welded steel bridge members under variable-amplitude loadings.” National Cooperative Highway Research Program Rep. No. 188, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Sorensen, J. D., Faber, M. H., Rackwitz, R., and Thoft-Christensen, P. (1991). “Modeling in optimal inspection and repair.” Proc., 10th Int. Conf. on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 2, ASME, New York, 281–288.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 10, 2004
Accepted: Dec 17, 2004
Published online: May 1, 2006
Published in print: May 2006
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.