Inspection and Evaluation of Bridge Steel Superstructures (Part I)
Credits: 5 PDH
PDH Course Description:
The Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Inspector’s Reference Manual (BIRM) is a comprehensive manual on programs, procedures, and techniques for inspecting and evaluating a variety of in-service highway bridges. BIRM serves as the basis of a comprehensive National Highway Institute training program in bridge-safety inspection. The present course is based on BIRM’s Sections 8.1-2, Common Steel Superstructures, and discusses 1) fatigue and fracture in steel bridges, and 2) rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders.Topics:
- Load path, structural, and internal redundancy
- Failure mechanics
- Crack initiation and propagation
- Fatigue Life
- Factors affecting fatigue crack initiation
- Factors affecting fatigue crack propagation
- AASHTO detail categories for load-induced fatigue
- Fracture critical bridge types
- Fracture criticality (welded, riveted, and bolted details)
- Design characteristics for rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders
- Haunched girder design
- Function of stiffeners
- Identification of primary and secondary members in rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders
- Fatigue prone details
- Fatigue critical areas
- Common defects
- Inspection locations (bearing areas, shear and flexure zones, secondary members)
- Element level condition state assessment
To take this course:
1.) Enroll in Course:2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:
Download the Study Guide (Part 1)
Download the Study Guide (Part 2)
3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.
Take the final exam
4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.
Print the Certificate of Completion
Intended Audience: primarily for civil, construction, and structural engineers, and would be of particular interest to consulting engineers or to engineers serving in government organizations concerned with the safety of bridges.
Publication Source: US DOT (Federal Highway Administration)
Print the Certificate of Completion
Intended Audience: primarily for civil, construction, and structural engineers, and would be of particular interest to consulting engineers or to engineers serving in government organizations concerned with the safety of bridges.
Publication Source: US DOT (Federal Highway Administration)
Mark Rossow PhD, PE (retired)