CALIFORNIA BRIDGE HEALTH INDEX

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has been involved in the development and implementation of the Pontis Bridge Management System since 1989. The Pontis development has introduced numerous innovative ideas that enhance the bridge maintenance and rehabilitation efforts of an agency. One of the most notable enhancements is the Element Level Inspection process. The inspection information collected using the element level inspection process provides a quick assessment of a bridge's condition by encapsulating both the severity of problems and their extent. The availability of the element inspection information and the need to accurately measure bridge condition has led to the development of the California Bridge Health Index. The Health Index is a single-number bridge condition assessment based purely on the economic worth of a bridge. The Health Index differs from the Federal Highway Administration's Sufficiency Rating in that it provides an insight to the structural condition of a bridge irrespective of its functional adequacy. This paper discusses the development of the California Bridge Health Index and describes its many uses within Caltrans.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Shepard, R W
  • Johnson, M B
• Conference:
  • Eighth Transportation Research Board Conference on Bridge Management
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
  • Date: 1999-4-26 to 1999-4-28
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 10p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge management systems; Economics; Innovation; Inspection; Maintenance management
• Uncontrolled Terms: California bridge health index; Condition (Bridges)
• Geographic Terms: California
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Economics; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00763170
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: K-1, IBMC-005
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 3 1999 12:00AM