Integrated Condition Rating Model for Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 31, Issue 5
Abstract
Most commonly used bridge condition rating systems utilize data emanating from visual inspection reports, inevitably associated with considerable uncertainty. This could possibly lead to unnecessary repair actions or overlooking critical problems. Although the advent of nondestructive testing (NDT) technologies has significantly aided more precise assessment of bridge decks, such techniques have not received due attention in the bridge rating process. Therefore, in the present study a systematic integrated condition rating procedure for concrete bridge decks using fuzzy mathematics has been developed. Infrared thermography (IRT), ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and visual inspection are employed to identify and quantify surface and subsurface defects. The fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) approach was utilized to convert the measured defects into fuzzy condition categories, which were then integrated to develop an overall bridge deck condition index (BDCI). The information sought to identify the parameters affecting the integration process were gathered from bridge engineers with extensive experience and intuition. The developed rating procedure and its application are demonstrated through a case study on a full-scale reinforced concrete bridge deck. The results revealed that rating a bridge deck based solely on visual inspection can overestimate or underestimate its condition index, while integrating NDT techniques can provide a more reliable rating. The proposed methodology could provide bridge stakeholders with a rational appraising tool for the condition of bridge decks, allowing better allocation of budgets and more precise maintenance decisions.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Rob Milner and Manny Alsaid from FLIR, Canada, for providing the thermal camera used to scan the bridge deck. We are also grateful to Alex Tarussov from Radex Detection Inc. for his assistance in scanning the bridge deck and providing the raw GPR data.
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Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 31 • Issue 5 • October 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 27, 2016
Accepted: Apr 20, 2017
Published online: Jul 14, 2017
Published in print: Oct 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Dec 14, 2017
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