User:Fephisto/Bridge Inspection

A bridge inspection is the visual examination and testing of a bridge in order to determine whether it needs further repairs, maintenance, retrofitting, or should be condemned. It is an important component of mitigating the risks of a bridge failure.

Elements
A detailed inspection will often involve inspection of:


 * Stream Channels
 * Decks
 * Slab coverings
 * Railings
 * Superstructure
 * Girders
 * Stringers
 * Beams
 * Trusses
 * Cables
 * Pins
 * Plates
 * Bearings
 * Substructure
 * Columns
 * Towers
 * Trestles
 * Abutements
 * Walls
 * Footings
 * Piles
 * Caps
 * Culverts
 * Joints
 * Seals
 * Coatings
 * Sidewalks
 * Curbs
 * Drains

Many of these elements have particular elements to consider.

Stream Channel
Water erosion is an important primary cause of bridge degradation, and therefore, an inspection must take into account the every changing hydraulics of any stream or water source that a bridge is crossing. In particularly, one aspect is scouring, where fast moving water about a pier or abutement causes the sediment to be picked up from about the abutement, thereby reducing the structural integrity of the member.

A secondary effect could be direct erosion of the member itself. For example, often high floods will bring disproportionate pressures, forces, and/or debris to directly impugn on a structural member (as in the Chunky Creek train wreck) causing it to break directly.

TODO: incorporate some sources from 29CFR here. TODO: incorporate some stuff from AASHTO here. TODO: make sure the following is in this article:
 * Concrete degradation
 * Metal pitting
 * Rebar degradation