TxDOT Research Library - TxDOT Research Project

Show:

Synthesis of Service Life Prediction for Bridges in Texas

What Was the Need?

"In procurement requirements for design-build (DB) project contracts for bridge structures, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) may implement a 100-year service life requirement. However, there are no indicated measures or any technical recommendations that provide directions to satisfy the given requirement of service life. In addition, TxDOT and consultants use TxDOT recommendations for durability to improve performance during service life of design-bid-build and DB projects but no quantitative methods or codified guidance are available to validate how the enhanced service life requirements are met. Further, Texas has many older bridges, so evaluation of the remaining service life of these bridges is a critical economic issue for TxDOT. Replacement of all these bridges is not possible given the limited financial resources available."

What's the Solution?

This research study was conducted to obtain information about state-of-the-art and state-of practice approaches to bridge service life prediction. The research team gathered and analyzed the relevant information on service life prediction, to enhance the determination of service life of both existing and new bridges.

Research Benefits

The project’s findings yielded the following benefits:

1. Guidance on managing the available funds efficiently for the required repair activities using the data on condition of the bridges.

2. Better understanding of various deterioration models used for predicting service life, inspection checks and methods, maintenance practices, and rehabilitation or replacement requirements for bridges; enhanced knowledge of achieving and extending the service life of Texas bridges.

3. Enhanced maintenance of the existing bridges in a good condition, improving their service life to make them economically efficient and determining strategies to achieve design service life for newly constructed bridges.

Project Number

0-6938

Status

Completed

link icon Copy link to this project.