Description

A detailed description of this course is on the National Highway Institute website.

The major goals of this course are to refresh the skills of practicing bridge inspectors in fundamental visual inspection techniques; review the background knowledge necessary to understand how bridges function; communicate issues of national significance relative to the nation’s bridge infrastructures; re-establish proper condition and appraisal rating practices; and review the professional obligations of bridge inspectors.

This course is based on the Bridge Inspector’s Reference Manual, 2002 (updated in 2006) with reference to the AASHTO Manual as defined by the National Bridge Inspection Standards regulation.

Core course topics include inspector qualifications and duties, bridge mechanics, record keeping and documentation, fatigue and fracture in steel bridges, traffic safety features, safety, National Bridge Inventory (NBI) component ratings, superstructure type identification, inspection techniques and case studies for decks, superstructures, bearings, substructures, channels and culverts, and a mock bridge inspection classroom exercise.

Target Audience

The target audience for this course includes Federal, State, and local agencies and private sector personnel employed in inspecting bridges or managing bridge inspection programs. The course is built to accommodate those who have completed comprehensive bridge inspection training (NHI 130055 or similar) or met the criteria for a bridge inspector under the State’s procedures or requirements.

For More Information

If you have questions or need more information, please contact Paul Albritton at 515-294-1231 or palbritt@iastate.edu