MAINTENANCE OF BRIDGES

INTRODUCTION
For safe & uninterrupted traffic flow, it is
necessary to have the maintenance of bridges
periodically. This maintenance is essentially
consists
of
structural
maintenance,
rehabilitation & replacement. It provides the
guidelines for the engineers to adopt cost
effective decisions regarding maintenance work
for bridges, canals, tunnels etc & it can be
achieved by the optimal use of public funds. To
achieve the desired result requires constant
alertness & thorough inspection procedures.

WHY WE NEED TO MAINTAIN BRIDGES.

It is necessary for the following factors,

COST.

LIFE TIME.

VERY IMPORTANT STRUCTURE.

PURPOSE. etc

QUALIFICATIONS OF
INSPECTION PERSONNEL:
The individual incharge of the bridge should have the
following qualifications & should carry out the
following responsibilities.
He should be a qualified Engineer having 10 years
experience in bridge constriction & inspection
He shall be responsible for thorough field
inspections & recommendations for correction of
defects, posting of restricted load or traffic etc.
He must be very familiar with design & construction
features of the bridge & he must be capable of
analyzing the structural deficiency, taking serious
actions to over come it.

CATEGORIES OF BRIDGE
INSPECTIONS:
The following are the categories of the
bridge inspections.
Routine inspection.
Detailed inspection.
Special inspection.

ACCESS FOR INSPECTION:

The accessibility can be successfully
achieved by Snooper-crawlers, which are movable
vehicle-mounted crane arms, tailored to the needs
of horizontal & vertical accessibility all along the
span, substructure & bearings. For very long span,
wide bridges with large navigational clearances, like
the cable stayed suspension system or steel girder
type, permanently installed traveling gantries and
lifts are a must for inspection. For piers & pier frame
of large height & bearings must be provided from
the deck.

EQUIPMENTS NEEDED FOR THE

INSPECTION PURPOSES:
Snooper-Crawler & adjustable ladders.
Rebound hammer for in situ assessment of the
strength of concrete.
Magnetic detector for measuring thickness of
concrete cover, & for locating reinforcement bars.
Acoustic crack detector & magnetic crack definer
for detection & location of cracks in steel.
Mechanical extensometer & transparent templates
for reading off crack widths from surface contact.
Hydraulic devices, pressure transducers or load
cells for measurement of forces or pressures etc.
Equipment for measuring vibrations.
Electrical resistance meter.

CONDITION RATING SYSTEM:

Structures containing elements which are in good condition
without any signs of deterioration & requiring no immediate
action.
Structures containing elements which show signs of distress but
which, under the operating conditions of the total structure may
not having a serious defect & it can be rectified easily.
Structures containing elements which show signs of
deterioration & which, due to distress under operating
conditions, would affect structural integrity of the elements.

Structures containing elements which show signs of progressive

failure due to excessive loading, possibly resulting in use
limitations or replacement.

Structures containing elements which have been under designed

or poorly constructed or are overloaded & show cracks or
deterioration.

SUFFICIENCY RATING SYSTEM:

In the area of performance, a numerical representation
can be developed. This system is used in the following
areas.
Load performance.
Safety performance.
Remaining life.

CONDITION SURVEY:

Each bridge should be classified, inspected, &

evaluated in relation to the various parameters which
affect
the
structural
integrity
&
performance
characteristics of the structure. The primary goal is to
achieve uniform interactive parameters to inspect bridges.

STRUCTURE IDENTIFICATION:

This is done to establish a uniform code

structure, which relates the structure location
highway, district, highway route number &
kilometers from an established base point of
which the structure is located.

The type of bridge crossing should be noted & coded as a

supplementary identification. Some of the crossings are identified
as follows.
Over water course.
Over highway.
Over railway line.
Over land feature.

number for each

with respect to
the number of
the highway on

For identifying the type of crossing, the structure should be

identified by name. Once the preliminary identification of the
structure & crossing type has been established, the identification
of the type of structure should be made.

 APPROACH TO THE BRIDGES:

Alignment.
Grade.
Approach slabs.
Guard rail.
Embankment condition.
Relief joints.

 INSPECTION GUIDANCE:

The bridge engineer & inspector should

be familiar with terminologies included in bridges
& should be well versed in the tools & devices
used in bridges. He must have a thorough
knowledge of safety precautions & should be
properly
organize,
prepare
the
necessary
documents for the inspection purposes. He shall
have good knowledge in judging the construction
materials which have used in the construction of
bridges such as concrete, steel, timber etc. In
addition to it he shall have knowledge in
foundations on which the bridge piers will rest.

 DETERIORATION IN CONCRETE:
Freezing & Thawing:
Porous concrete absorbs water & creates high expansive
pressures which results in
cracking, scaling & spalling of concrete.

Salt Action:

The use of salt contribute to weathering through

recrystallization & it also
increases the chemical attack on concrete & steel.
Unsound Aggregates:
These are structurally weak & readily cleavable.
Leaching:
Water seeping through cracks & voids in the hardened
concrete leaches or
dissolves the Ca(OH)2. It results in efflorescence
encrustation at the surface of the
cracks with evidence of CaCO3.
Chemical Attack:
A number of chemicals attack concrete.

Wear or Abrasion:

Traffic abrasion & impact cause wearing of bridge

decks & kerbs, parapets, piers
gets damaged by the scraping action of vehicles.
Foundation Movements:
These movements can cause serious cracking in
structures.
Shrinkage & Flexure forces:
Shrinkage & flexure forces set up tensile stresses
causing serious cracks.
Rusted reinforcing steel:
Corrosion of steel causes increase in its volume &
exherts radial expansive
pressure on concrete, leading to cracking & for
further rusting.

Cracks in the column and beam.

DETERIORATION IN STEEL:

Air & Moisture:

This will cause corrosion of steel, especially in a marine

environment.
Industrial Fumes:
This fumes mainly cause deterioration of steel.
De-icing Agents:
Under damp conditions, it will attack steel causing
corrosion.
Sea-water & Mud:
Unprotected steel piles if immersed in sea water &
embedded in mud
results in serious deterioration.

 Thermal strains or Overloads:

Where movement is restrained, the steel may
yield, buckles.

Fire:
Extreme heat will cause serious
steel members & loss of strength.

deformation of

Collisions:
The vehicles may strike the steel beams,
columns causing damage to the bridge.

Animal Wastes:
This will results in rusting of steel items.

Galvonic action:

FOUNDATION MOVEMENTS:

These movements are caused by the

movement of the supporting strata. In this case the
soil deformations are caused by volume changes &
settlement or subsidence in the soil or by a shear
failure. The movements can be classified into four
types. They are

Lateral Movements:

Earth retaining structures such as abutments,

retaining wall,piers will undergo
this type of
movement.

Vertical Movements:

Any type of structure which was not founded on a

solid rock may undergo this type of movement.

Pile Settlements:
Rotational Movements:

CHECKED DURING INSPECTION:

Checking the alignment:

Any abrupt change in the alignment of the bridge indicates a movement of the pier
or bearings.

Sight along railings:

A sudden dip in the rail line is indicating the result of displacement of a pier or
abutment.

Run profile levels:

This inspection will not only help us to establish the existence of any settlement,
but will also identity any differential settlements across the roadway.

Check piers, pile bents, abutment faces:

This inspection is employed to check the plumbness. An out of plumb pier in
either direction usually signifies foundation movement & it also indicates a
superstructure displacement.

Observing expansion joints:

This should be checked for the signs of opening or rotating. It will indicate the
movement of subsurface soils which results in abnormally small or large openings,
differential elevation etc.

Observe slabs, walls & members:

The cracks, buckling, & other deteriorations should be noted.

Checking back walls & Beam ends:

Back walls should be checked for cracking developed by the abutment rotation,
sliding or pavement thrust. This is a sign of horizontal movement of the abutment.

Unbalanced post-construction embankment or fill:

Embankments should be checked for balance & positioning. Unbalanced embankments may
variety of soil movements which may impair the structural integrity

cause a

 UNDER WATER INVESTIGATIONS:

This investigation has to be performed by the

personnel experienced in these types of inspections.
However, the bridge inspector is responsible for the
bridge inspection & for the evaluation of the underwater
portions of the bridge. Relatively new structures have
collapsed due to the corrosion of the steel piles below
the concrete protection. PSC piles will not fail below
water level, while timber piles are known to be
vulnerable. This type of investigations is very important
in the case of constructions to be done in the sea.
During inspection the following points may be checked.

Pile bents.
1.Steel piles.
2.Timber piles
3.Concrete piles.
Dolphins & fenders.
Pier & Abutment Conditions.
Scour.

Approaches:
Approach pavement is to be checked for the
unevenness, settlement or roughness. Existence
of defects may cause vehicles coming onto the
bridge to induce undesirable impact stresses in
the structure. Cracking in slab indicates a void
under the slab from fill settlement. The joints
between approach pavement & the abutment
backwall is to be examined to determine if there
is adequate clearance. The condition of the
shoulders, slopes, drainage & approach guard rail
should also be checked.

 INVESTIGATIONS OF STRUCTURAL
COMPONENTS:
Note down any structural cracks more than 0.3mm in
width & any signs of deterioration & distress. In a
structure this will range from usual surface cracks to
serious structural cracks & manifestation of distress
zones.
If the observed manifestations of distress in the
structure are so serious, then it will require the detailed
structural investigation in order to enable to decide
between repair & part or complete demolition &
replacement. A detailed explanation supporting reasons
& the details of the likely causes that obviously lead to
such distress is given.