National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) Gary Moss, P.E. Office of Bridge Technology Federal...

National Bridge Inspection National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS)Standards (NBIS)

Gary Moss, P.E.

Office of Bridge Technology

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Bridge TechnologyOffice of Bridge Technology

July, 2009 NBIS Overview 2

Bridge Inspection - Outline

• National Bridge Inspection Standards-NBIS

• National Bridge Inventory – NBI– USDOT uses the NBI component data to

allocate Bridge funds to the States and monitor national bridge condition trends.

• States collect NBI data and additional component and more detailed element level data for their bridge management programs



Silver Bridge, West VA 1967



NBIS – The Law

• Federal Aid Highway Act of 1968

• 23 United States Code (USC)– Section 151 - National bridge inspection

program• Secretary of transportation tasked with establishing

national bridge inspection standards for the proper safety inspection and evaluation of all highway bridges in consultation with the State transportation departments.



NBIS – The Law– (1) method for the inspections. – (2) establish time period between inspections. – (3) establish qualification for inspectors.– (4) require State to maintain.

• (A) written reports of highway bridge inspections.

• (B) current inventory data for all highway bridges. (NBI)

– (5) establish a procedure for national certification of highway bridge inspectors.



Latest NBIS Final Rule23 CFR Part 650 Subpart C

• Published on December 14, 2004

• But much more• NHI Training - BIRM• AASHTO Manual For

Condition Evaluation of Bridges

• NBI Coding Guide



NBIS Final Rule

NBIS23 CFR 650Subpart C

Purpose(650.301)

Applicability(650.303)

Definitions(650.305)

BridgeInspection

Organization(650.307)

Qualificationsof Personnel

(650.309)

InspectionFrequency(605.311)

InspectionProcedures

(605.313)

Inventory(605.315)

ReferenceManuals(605.317)



Section 650.301 (NEW) : Purpose

– Regulation sets the national standards for the proper safety inspection and evaluation of all highway bridges in accordance with 23 U.S.C 151



Section 650.303: Applicability

• Pertains to all highway bridges located on public roads

– Publicly owned bridges over 20 feet.–Public road: any road or street under the jurisdiction of and maintained by a public authority and open to public travel



Section 650.303: Applicability

• Does not pertain to:– Non-highway bridges, such as pedestrian

and railroad bridges– Bridges on “private roads”

• Encourage private bridge owners to inspect their highway bridges in accordance with the NBIS

– Tunnels– Sign support structures, high mast

lighting, retaining walls, etc.– Private Highway Bridge on Public Road. X

X

X



Section 650.305 (NEW): Definitions

- 33 commonly used bridge inspection terms are defined including:

• inspection types: Initial, Routine, FC, U/W, In-depth, Hands-on, etc.

• training

• quality assurance

• quality control

• bridge inspection experience

NBIS



Section 650.307: Bridge Inspection Organization

• State Transportation Departments must inspect, or cause to be inspected, all bridges within their boundaries, except for bridges owned by Federal agencies

• Federal agencies are responsible for inspection of bridges within their jurisdiction (NEW)



Section 650.307: Bridge Inspection Organization

• State Transportation Department (or Federal Agency) is responsible for statewide…

• policies & procedures

• quality control/quality assurance

• maintaining inventory

• reports, load ratings, and other requirements

– Delegation of functions is outlined• does not relieve State of responsibility

– Must have program manager



Section 650.309: Qualifications of Personnel

• Enhances and clarifies the qualifications of personnel. (PM, TL, Inspector)

• Provides 2 ways to be a Program Manager (PM)

– Be a registered PE, or have 10 years bridge inspection experience; and

– Successfully complete an approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course (NEW)




• Provides 5 ways to be a team leader (TL)– Meet qualifications of a PM; or

– Have 5 years bridge inspection experience and successfully complete an approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course; or

– Be a NICET certified Level III or IV Bridge Safety Inspector and successfully complete an approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course (NEW); or




• Have all the following (NEW): – Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an

ABET accredited college or university

– Successfully pass the NCEES FE exam

– Have 2 years bridge inspection experience

– Successfully complete an approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course; or




• Have all the following (NEW):

– Associate’s degree in engineering or engineering technology from an ABET accredited college or university

– Have 4 years bridge inspection experience

– Successfully complete an approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course




• Load rating qualification– individual responsible must be PE

(NEW)

• U/W diver qualification– must take training or U/W

inspectors course (NEW)



Section 650.309: Qualifications of PersonnelTraining

• Through National Highway Institute (NHI) which is a branch of FHWA.– We have developed many courses for Inspectors.

– One of which is an approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course which is two weeks long which is given by NHI. The course is based on a the Bridge Inspectors Reference Manual a 1800+ page document that can be downloaded for free.



Section 650.311: Inspection Frequency

Sets a frequency that is not to be exceeded for:

– Routine Inspections– Underwater Inspections– Fracture Critical Member

(FCM) Inspections– Damage, In-Depth, and Special Inspections




• Routine Inspections– Interval not to exceed 24 months– Establish criteria for level and frequency of

inspection for bridges requiring inspection at less than 24 month intervals

– Interval can be extended to 48 months with FHWA approval




• Underwater Inspections– Interval not to exceed 60 months– Establish criteria for level and

frequency of inspection for bridges requiring inspection at less than 60 month intervals

– Interval can be extended to 72 months with FHWA approval (NEW)




• FCM Inspections– Interval not to exceed 24 months (NEW)– Establish criteria for level and frequency of

inspection for bridges requiring inspection at less than 24 month intervals




• Damage, In-Depth, and Special Inspections– Establish criteria for level and frequency of inspection

for bridges requiring these inspections



Section 650.313: Inspection Procedures

• Inspect each bridge in accordance with the procedures in the AASHTO Manual– Provide at least one TL on-site during each

initial, routine, in-depth, FCM, and underwater inspection

• Rating and load posting:– Rate according to the AASHTO Manual

– Post or restrict bridges according to the AASHTO manual or State law




• Documentation:– Prepare bridge files in accordance

with the AASHTO manual– Maintain reports and relevant

maintenance data– Record findings and results on

standard forms




• Identify bridges with FCMs, requiring underwater inspection, and those that are scour critical– FCM Bridges: Identify location of FCMs and describe

the inspection frequency and procedures

– Underwater: Identify location and describe underwater elements and describe the inspection frequency and procedures

– Scour Critical: Prepare a plan of action to monitor deficiencies and address critical findings (NEW)




• Identify inspection procedures, training, and experience required to inspect complex bridges

• Assure QC/QA procedures are used to maintain accuracy and consistency (NEW)– Include field reviews of inspection teams, bridge

inspection refresher training for PMs and TLs, and review of inspection reports




• Establish procedures to assure critical findings are addressed timely– Notify the FHWA of actions taken to resolve

findings (NEW)



Section 650.315: Inventory

• Prepare and maintain an inventory of all bridges subject to the NBIS

Collect and retain SI&A data according to the Coding Guide



Section 650.315: Inventory

• Enter SI&A data into inventory within 90 days for State and Federal bridges and 180 days for all other bridges for:– Routine, in-depth, FCM, underwater, damage

and special inspections from date of inspection – Bridge modifications that alter previous data

and new bridges after completion of the work– Changes in load restriction or closure status



Section 650.317: Reference Manuals

• AASHTO Manual For Condition Evaluation of Bridges, 2nd edition, 2001 and 2003 revisions incorporated by reference (NEW)– makes AASHTO Manual a part of

regulation

– AASHTO Manual has lots of ‘shoulds’; means do it unless there is justification not to!

NBIS takes precedence over AASHTO Manual



• http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbis.htm

Questions?Questions?

Gary Moss, P.E. 202-366-4654 Bridge Programs

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