Bridge Management: Creating the 100 Year Bridge

9 out of 10 bridges torn-down and rebuilt have many years of service left.

• “I have inspected 300 bridges in Canada and 9 out of 10 times the bridge can be saved”.
• Baidar Bakht PhD – Member of the Order of Canada

But 1 out of 10 bridges ready to rebuild should have been torn down and replaced years ago.

• 50 + % of bridges that collapse are not rated as structurally deficient.

National Bridge Management, Inspection and Preservation conference: Beyond the Short Term December 2011

No one would build a house, neglect its upkeep for 50 years and then build a new house, he said as an analogy for bridge management. However, to some degree highway agencies failed to adequately preserve their bridges throughout their first 50 years necessitating the need for replacement. Bridge preservation can be made smarter through the embrace of innovations, research findings, monitoring of bridge health, asset management and performance management, data-driven decisions and partnerships. The bridge community also needs performance measures that are technically sound and understandable to the public. Adopting a mindset of being "owners and operators" who inspect and preserve bridges so they last for 100 years.

U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration

Solution – Innovation in Information Decision Support for Bridge Management

The solution to this problem is not just to spend more but to also spend wisely. Innovative new technology exists that will support the rehabilitation and extend the life of existing bridges and can be incorporated into new bridge construction and management. Bridges can be higher performing structures with the goal to build 100 year bridges and not the present 50 year life. Manitoba is able to extend 50 year design life to 80 + year service life. The past 15 years using Structural Health Monitoring. Ruth Eden Director Design and Construction and of Preservation and Planning – Manitoba Canada Infrastructure and Transportation.