Print this page FHWA Bridge Inspector's Manual Sections 8.1-2—Steel Superstructures
Mark P. Rossow, PhD, PE Retired
Course Outline
This five-hour online course discusses fatigue and fracture in steel bridges (fracture critical members, failure mechanics, crack initiation, crack propagation, AASHTO details categories, fracture critical bridge types, inspection procedures and locations, and evaluation), and rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders (design characteristics, common defects, inspection procedures and locations, and evaluation).
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Be familiar with load path, structural, and internal redundancy;
- Know failure mechanics;
- Be cognizant of crack initiation and propagation;
- Understand principles of fatigue life;
- Be acquainted with factors affecting fatigue crack initiation;
- Recognize factors affecting fatigue crack propagation;
- Be familiar with AASHTO detail categories for load-induced fatigue;
- Know fracture critical bridge types;
- Be cognizant of fracture criticality (welded, riveted, and bolted details);
- Understand principles of design characteristics for rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders;
- Be acquainted with haunched girder design;
- Recognize the function of stiffeners;
- Be able to identify primary and secondary members in rolled steel, multi-beams, and fabricated steel multi-girders;
- Know fatigue prone details;
- Be cognizant of fatigue critical areas;
- Be acquainted with common defects;
- Be acquainted with inspection locations (bearing areas, shear and flexure zones, secondary members); and
- Recognize the principles of element level condition state assessment.
Intended Audience
This course is intended 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.
Benefit to Attendees
An attendee of this course will be familiar with fatigue and fracture in steel bridges, and with the characteristics of rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders, and will be able to apply this knowledge in bridge inspections.
Course Introduction
Since the 1960’s, many steel bridges have developed fatigue induced cracks. Although these localized failures have been extensive, only a few U.S. bridges have actually collapsed as a result of steel fatigue fractures. If the actual number of fatigue-caused collapses is to be kept small in the future, bridge inspectors must understand the nature, causes, and likely locations of fatigue cracking.
Course Content
This course is based on BIRM’s Sections 8.1-2, (Common Steel Superstructures) of the Federal Highway Administration Bridge Inspector’s Reference Manual, Publication No. FHWA NHI 03-001, October, 2002, Revised December, 2006.
FHWA Bridge Inspector's Manual Sections 8.1-2—Steel Superstructures
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Course Summary
Fatigue and fracture in steel bridges, and the characteristics of rolled steel multi-beams and fabricated steel multi-girders are described in a manner useful for conducting inspection of steel bridges.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/bripro.htm
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
