Guidelines to Improve the Quality of Element-Level Bridge Inspection Data

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-Only Document 259: Guidelines to Improve the Quality of Element-Level Bridge Inspection Data is intended to assist inspectors in identifying defects and assigning the appropriate condition state for bridge elements.

To ensure the safety and serviceability of bridges, the guidelines include accuracy requirements designed to help promote consistency in the collection of element-level data for bridges on the National Highway System.

The quality of element-level bridge inspection data is critical for effective bridge management and asset management practices.  Therefore, the guidelines also include a methodology developed to verify the impact of different accuracy requirements on deterioration models.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Bridge Element Inspection includes elements of the guidelines in NCHRP Web-Only Document 259.