GUARDING AGAINST SCOUR

Scour causes 60 percent of all highway bridge failures in the United States. Tragic stories of bridges collapsing and causing fatalities prompted the Federal Highway Administration to establish the National Bridge Inspection Program, which requires that bridges be inspected for scour every 2 years. This article describes recent bridge failures, reports on the national response, and reviews the latest scour-monitoring technology. Two instruments--magnetic sliding collar and sonic fathometer--have emerged as promising devices to measure maximum scour depth at bridge piers and abutments. The cost of the devices is expected to be reasonable for state departments of transportation.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/10480594
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Lagasse, P F
  • Thompson, P L
  • Sabol, S A
• Publication Date: 1995-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 56-59
• Serial:
  • Civil Engineering
  • Volume: 65
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0885-7024
  • Serial URL: http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/newce/html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Collapse; Equipment; Failure; Highway bridges; Inspection; Installation; Monitoring; Scour; Technology transfer
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge inspection
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Education and Training; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00681615
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 30 1995 12:00AM