Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (BIRM)

Ryan, Thomas W.; Lloyd, Cassandra E.; Pichura, Michael S.; Tarasovich, Darrin M.; Fitzgerald, Sandy · 2022 · ROSA P / National Highway Institute (U.S.)

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Summary

The Bridge Inspector’s Reference Manual (BIRM), revised in September 2022, addresses the need for a comprehensive, up-to-date resource for inspecting and evaluating in-service highway bridges. It serves as a successor to the BITM 90 manual (published in 1991) and the earlier BITM 70, which had been the basis for bridge safety inspection training for two decades. The revision was motivated by the evolution of bridge inspection techniques, the introduction of state-of-the-art equipment, and the requirement to align with current National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS). The BIRM is designed to support the National Bridge Inspection Program by providing standardized procedures for programs, inspections, and evaluations, ensuring that highway personnel are trained on modern methodologies. The document is a 1,364-page reference manual developed by Michael Baker International, Inc. under contract to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Highway Institute (NHI). It is organized into four main parts: Part I covers the Bridge Safety Inspection Program, including history, organizational responsibilities, quality control, and inspection fundamentals such as safety, traffic control, and access methods. Part II details the characteristics of bridges, culverts, and waterways, ranging from basic structural components to complex systems like cable-supported and movable bridges, as well as the mechanics and material properties (concrete, steel, timber, masonry, and FRP) relevant to inspection. Part III focuses on the specific inspection and evaluation of various bridge components, including decks, concrete and steel superstructures, timber/masonry/FRP structures, bearings, substructures, culverts, and waterways. It also includes a dedicated chapter on advanced inspection methods and nondestructive evaluation. Part IV addresses the preparation of inspection reports, condition coding, National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data reporting, and documentation standards. Key updates in the 2022 revision include expanded coverage of culverts, nonredundant members, cable-stayed bridges, prestressed segmental bridges, movable bridges, underwater inspection, and nondestructive evaluation techniques. The manual also provides specific guidance on identifying and reporting critical findings. The BIRM serves as the foundational text for a series of NHI courses, including a two-week course on "Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges" and a one-week course for professional engineers. Together, these courses meet the definition of approved comprehensive training in bridge inspection as defined by the NBIS. The manual includes extensive acronyms, a glossary, and a bibliography, and it is disseminated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for information exchange purposes, without the force of law.

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