Comprehensive Approach to Service Life Design of Bridges

The design for service life is gaining more importance as limited resources demand enhancing the service life of existing and new bridges. As part of the research project entitled Bridges for Service Life Beyond 100 Years: Innovative Systems, Subsystems and Components and supported by Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) Project R19A, a systematic and general approach to design of new and existing bridges for service life has been developed that is applicable to any bridge structure. Design for service life must be approached at the design stage and provide the owner with a clear picture of the efforts that will be needed to keep the bridge operational for a specified and intended service life. Design for service life must include, an inspection, maintenance, replacement and retrofit plan where needed. Further, the entire service life design process must be documented and effectively communicated with the owner. In short, in order to keep the bridge operational for a specified number of years as defined by the owner, any surprise element must be eliminated. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief synopsis of the general philosophy and major steps that could lead to comprehensive design of bridges for service life and to outline the major steps involved in service life design. Interested readers could refer to the major product of the SHRP2 Project R19A, referred to as Design Guide for Bridges for Service Life, and hereinafter referred to as the Guide. The Guide is available through TRB at the following site. http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/168760.aspx

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFF10 General Structures.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Azizinamini, Atorod
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 19p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge design; Guidelines; Operations; Rehabilitation; Retrofitting; Service life
• Identifier Terms: Strategic Highway Research Program 2
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01515155
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-1215
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 21 2014 3:16PM