National Bridge Inventory

Last updated

The National Bridge Inventory (NBI) is a database, compiled by the Federal Highway Administration, with information on all bridges and tunnels in the United States that have roads passing above or below them. That is similar to the grade-crossing identifier number database, compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration, which identifies all railroad crossings. The bridge information includes the design of the bridge and the dimensions of the usable portion. The data is often used to analyze bridges and to judge their condition. The inventory is developed for the purpose of having a unified database for bridges to ensure the safety of the traveling public, as required by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1968. [1] It includes identification information, bridge types and specifications, operational conditions, bridge data including geometric data and functional description, and inspection data. Any bridge more than 20 ft (6 m) long used for vehicular traffic is included. [2]

Contents

Description

Identification information addresses the bridge location uniquely, classifies the type of the routes carried out on and/or under the structure, and locates the bridge within the spatial location. Each bridge is given a number by the highway department of the respective state or agency that maintains the bridge. The method of assigning numbers differs from one state to the next but provides a unique number for each bridge in the state. [3]

The bridge inventory is developed for having a unified database for bridges, including the identification information; bridge types and specifications; operational conditions; and bridge data including geometric data, functional description, inspection data, etc. Bridge type and specifications classify the type of the bridge. That part provides defined standard categories for classification of the bridges. It also identifies the material of the bridge components, deck, and deck surface. Operational conditions provide information about the age of the structure and construction year, rehabilitation year, type of services and traffic carried over, and/or under the structure number of the lanes over and/or under the bridges, average daily traffic, average daily truck traffic and information regarding to bypass, detours. Furthermore, the bridge inventory contains information regarding to inspection data, ratings assigned by inspectors, and appraisal results. [3]

Condition ratings

The NBI includes a structural evaluation of deck, superstructure, substructure, and culvert on a 0-9 scale: [2]

DescriptionCode
NOT APPLICABLEN
EXCELLENT CONDITION9
VERY GOOD CONDITION - no problems noted.8
GOOD CONDITION - some minor problems.7
SATISFACTORY CONDITION - structural elements show some minor deterioration.6
FAIR CONDITION - all primary structural elements are sound but may have minor section loss, cracking, spalling, or scour.5
POOR CONDITION - advanced section loss, deterioration, spalling or scour.4
SERIOUS CONDITION - loss of section, deterioration, spalling or scour have seriously affected primary structural components. Local failures are possible. Fatigue cracks in steel or shear cracks in concrete may be present.3
CRITICAL CONDITION - advanced deterioration of primary structural elements. Fatigue cracks in steel or shear cracks in concrete may be present or scour may have removed substructure support. Unless the bridge is closely monitored, it may be necessary to close the bridge until corrective action is taken.2
"IMMINENT" FAILURE CONDITION - major deterioration or section loss present in critical structural components or obvious vertical or horizontal movement affecting structure stability. Bridge is closed to traffic but corrective action may put back in light service.1
FAILED CONDITION - out of service - beyond corrective action.0

Code "N" (NOT APPLICABLE) is used for item 62 (culvert rating) when the structure is a bridge or for items 58, 59, and 60 (deck, superstructure rating, substructure rating, and respectively) when the structure is a (bridge length, i.e. 20 ft) culvert.

The term "functionally obsolete" has been removed from published NBI data, as it is no longer tracked. [4] Prior to 2016, the term was a collective designation for bridges ranked as a code 3 or lower.

The NBI can classify bridges as "structurally deficient," which means that the condition of the bridge includes a significant defect, which often means that speed or weight limits must be put on the bridge to ensure safety; a rating of 4 or lower on any of items 58, 59, 60, or 62 (deck, superstructure, substructure, and culverts, respectively) qualifies a bridge as "structurally deficient." [4]

In December 2008, 72,868 bridges in the United States (12.1%) were categorized as "structurally deficient," representing an estimated $48 billion in repairs, and 89,024 (12.2%) were rated "functionally obsolete," representing an estimated $91 billion in replacement costs. [5]

Some bridges are also identified as "fracture critical," [1] which means that the failure of a single major tension member or member element will cause a significant portion or the entire bridge to collapse because of the lack of redundancy. Fracture critical designs can leave bridges vulnerable to collisions with ships or large trucks, as in the I-5 Skagit River Bridge collapse.

Issues and usage

The NBI was subjected to scrutiny and questions after new actions revealed that it might be outdated or inaccurate. Federal officials attempted to order emergency inspections of all steel truss bridges after a major bridge collapsed in Minneapolis in 2007. However, it was found that many records in the NBI were inaccurate or out of date. [6]

The NBI is used for federal funding purposes. A "bridge sufficiency rating" is calculated, which is based 55% on the structural evaluation, 30% on the obsolescence of its design, and 15% on its importance to the public. As of 2008, a score of 80 or less is required for federal repair funding or 50 or less for federal replacement funding. [7]

Since the NBI data is widely used by researchers and practitioners, [8] [9] the Federal Highway Administration made it available in 2021 in a relational database, Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP). [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitney Young Memorial Bridge</span> Bridge in D.C., U.S.

The Whitney Young Memorial Bridge is a bridge that carries East Capitol Street across the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. in the United States. Finished in 1955, it was originally called the East Capitol Street Bridge. It was renamed for civil rights activist Whitney Young in early 1974. The bridge is 1,800 feet (550 m) long, its six lanes are 82 feet (25 m) wide, and it has 15 spans resting on 14 piers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge</span> Bridge in Newark and East Newark, New Jersey

The William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge in New Jersey that crosses the Passaic River, connecting Newark and East Newark as part of Interstate 280. The bridge is named in honor of William A. Stickel, a civil engineer from Newark who served as the Essex County engineer for over 20 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girder bridge</span> Bridge built of girders placed on bridge abutments and foundation piers

A girder bridge is a bridge that uses girders as the means of supporting its deck. The two most common types of modern steel girder bridges are plate and box.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-35W Mississippi River bridge</span> Bridge in Minneapolis, Minn., US, that collapsed in 2007

The I-35W Mississippi River bridge was an eight-lane, steel truss arch bridge that carried Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River one-half mile downstream from the Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The bridge opened in 1967 and was Minnesota's third busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily. It experienced a catastrophic failure during the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The NTSB cited a design flaw as the likely cause of the collapse, noting that an excessively thin gusset plate ripped along a line of rivets, and that additional weight on the bridge at the time contributed to the catastrophic failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridge management system</span>

A bridge management system (BMS) is a set of methodologies and procedures for managing information about bridges. Such system is capable of document and process data along the entire life cycle of the structure steps: project design, construction, monitoring, maintenance and end of operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 652</span> State highway in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, US

Pennsylvania Route 652 is a 10.559-mile-long (16.993 km) east–west state highway located in the northeast Pennsylvania county of Wayne. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 6 in the Texas Township community of Indian Orchard. The highways heads to the northeast, and reaches the eastern terminus at the New York-Pennsylvania border in Damascus Township, where PA 652 crosses the Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge over the Delaware River and into New York, continuing as New York State Route 52 and County Route 24 in Sullivan County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calcasieu River Bridge</span> Bridge in Louisiana and Westlake, Louisiana

The Calcasieu River Bridge, officially named the Louisiana Memorial World War II Bridge in June 1951 is a through truss located on Interstate 10 between Lake Charles, Louisiana and Westlake, Louisiana. It was the only major bridge in Lake Charles, until the construction of the Lake Charles Loop with the I-210 Calcasieu River High Bridge began in 1962, with an average annual daily traffic (2009) of 51,800. The bridge has a vertical clearance of 135 feet. It was built under the administration of Gov. Earl K. Long and opened in 1952. It has decorative iron work with crossed guns integrated into the railings. The I-10 Bridge was originally built as the U.S. Hwy 90 bridge and later was grandfathered into Interstate 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gudgeonville Covered Bridge</span> Bridge in Pennsylvania, United States

The Gudgeonville Covered Bridge was an 84-foot (25.6 m) long Multiple King-post Truss covered bridge over Elk Creek in Girard Township, Erie County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was built in 1868 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 17, 1980. It was destroyed by arson on November 8, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cogan House Covered Bridge</span> Covered bridge in Pennsylvania, US

The Cogan House Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss covered bridge over Larrys Creek in Cogan House Township, Lycoming County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was built in 1877 and is 94 feet 2 inches (28.7 m) long. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and had a major restoration in 1998. The Cogan House bridge is named for the township and village of Cogan House, and is also known by at least four other names: Buckhorn, Larrys Creek, Day's, and Plankenhorn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buttonwood Covered Bridge</span> Bridge in Pennsylvania, United States

The Buttonwood Covered Bridge is a covered bridge built in either 1878 or 1898 over Blockhouse Creek in Jackson Township, Lycoming County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It uses a queen post with king post truss and is 74 feet 2 inches (22.6 m) long. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and had a major restoration in 1998. It is the shortest and most heavily used of the three covered bridges remaining in Lycoming County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonestown Covered Bridge</span> Covered bridge in Davidson Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

The Sonestown Covered Bridge is a covered bridge over Muncy Creek in Davidson Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania built around 1850. It is 110 ft (34 m) long and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1980. It is named for the nearby unincorporated village of Sonestown in Davidson Township, and is also known as the Davidson Covered Bridge. It was built to provide access to a grist mill which operated until the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forksville Covered Bridge</span> Bridge over Loyalsock Creek, Pennsylvania

The Forksville Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss covered bridge over Loyalsock Creek in the borough of Forksville, Sullivan County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was built in 1850 and is 152 feet 11 inches (46.61 m) in length. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Forksville bridge is named for the borough it is in, which in turn is named for its location at the confluence or "forks" of the Little Loyalsock and Loyalsock Creeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsgrove Covered Bridge</span> Bridge over Loyalsock Creek in Hillsgrove Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

The Hillsgrove Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss covered bridge over Loyalsock Creek in Hillsgrove Township, Sullivan County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was built c. 1850 and is 186 feet (56.7 m) long. In 1973, it became the first covered bridge in the county to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The bridge is named for the township and nearby unincorporated village of Hillsgrove, and is also known as Rinkers Covered Bridge for an adjoining farm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Route 103</span> State highway in Clearfield, Utah, United States

State Route 103 (SR-103) is a 0.225-mile-long (362 m) urban minor arterial state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. It branches off from SR-126 in downtown Clearfield and extends east to Interstate 15 (I-15), with the roadway continuing to the Falcon Hill National Aerospace Research Park, just outside Hill Air Force Base. The entire route is located in Davis County and was formed in 1965 coinciding with the construction of I-15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Bridge (Connecticut)</span> Bridge in Stratford and Milford

The Washington Bridge, also known as the Devon Bridge, carries U.S. Route 1 (US 1) over the Housatonic River in the U.S. state of Connecticut, connecting the city of Milford to the town of Stratford. Its geographic location is N 41.20037 by W −73.11039. It is considered architecturally notable by the National Register of Historic Places for its five 100-foot-long (30 m) arches. It is designated Bridge No. 327 by the state Department of Transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapman Creek Pratt Truss Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Chapman Creek Pratt Truss Bridge is a Pratt truss bridge located near Chapman, Kansas. The bridge spans Chapman Creek, a branch of the Smoky Hill River, and carries a dirt road called Quail Road. It was built in 1905 by the Canton Bridge Company. The bridge was one of 800 Pratt truss bridges in Kansas as of 1998 and is considered "an excellent example" of one of the most common bridge types in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Route 140</span> Highway in Utah, USA

State Route 140 (SR-140) is a 0.936-mile (1.506 km) long state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. It runs from 800 West in Bluffdale to Interstate 15 (I-15).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jersey Bridge (Cherrytree Township, Pennsylvania)</span> Listed on the NRHP in Venango County

The Jersey Bridge is a one-lane, Pratt through truss bridge that spans Oil Creek in Cherrytree Township, Venango County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It connects the city of Titusville to the Drake Well Museum and Oil Creek State Park. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. It was replaced in 1998 with a newer bridge that used the superstructure of the old bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-5 Skagit River bridge collapse</span> Road bridge collapse in Mount Vernon, Washington

On May 23, 2013, at approximately 7:00 pm PDT, a span of the bridge carrying Interstate 5 over the Skagit River in the U.S. state of Washington collapsed. Three people in two different vehicles fell into the river below and were rescued by boat, escaping serious injury. The cause of the catastrophic failure was determined to be an oversize load striking several of the bridge's overhead support beams, leading to an immediate collapse of the northernmost span.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metaline Falls Bridge</span> Bridge in Metaline Falls, Washington

The Metaline Falls Bridge carries Washington State Route 31 over the Pend Oreille River in the extreme northeast corner of the state. Officially named the Pend Oreille Bridge, it provides access from the south to the town of Metaline Falls and the Boundary Dam. Completed in 1952, the bridge is a 696 feet (212 m) long and 26 feet (7.9 m) wide combination steel truss and concrete T-beam structure. Consisting of three main Warren deck truss spans, the longest of which is 240 feet (73 m), the bridge carries two lanes of traffic and a pedestrian walkway.

References

  1. 1 2 Federal Highway Administration (June 27, 2017). "Q&A on the NBIS 23 CFR 650 Subpart C". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Federal Highway Administration (December 1995). Recording and Coding Guide for the Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation's Bridges (PDF) (Report). Federal Highway Administration. PD-96-001.
  3. 1 2 New Jersey Department of Transportation (2003). Recording and Coding Guide for Structure Inventory and Appraisal (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Federal Highway Administration (April 8, 2020). "Tables of Frequently Requested NBI Information". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Bridges". Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  6. ↑ Dedman, Bill (August 1, 2008). "Bridge collapse revealed holes in federal data". NBC News.
  7. ↑ American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (July 2008). "Chapter 2: The Struggle to Hold Aging Bridges Together". Bridging the Gap: Restoring and Rebuilding the Nation's Bridges. Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 18. ISBN   9781560514251. Archived from the original on February 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ Estes, Allen C.; Frangopol, Dan M. (December 1, 2001). "Bridge Lifetime System Reliability under Multiple Limit States". Journal of Bridge Engineering. 6 (6): 523–528. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0702(2001)6:6(523). ISSN   1084-0702.
  9. ↑ Ford, K., Arman, M., Labi, S., Sinha, K.C., Thompson, P.D., Shirole, A.M., and Li, Z. 2012. NCHRP Report 713 : Estimating life expectancies of highway assets. In Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. Transportation Research Board, Washington DC.
  10. ↑ "Long-Term Bridge Performance | FHWA". highways.dot.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.