Developing Condition-Based Triggers for Bridge Deck Maintenance and Rehabilitation Treatments

The bridges in the U.S. highway system suffer from deficiencies in both their structural condition and functionality. In an effort to improve the condition of bridges, highway agencies continually seek effective and efficient approaches to maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) treatments for their bridges. However, one drawback to new approaches is that highway agencies have long relied on the subjective judgment of their engineers to determine the time or condition at which to implement the treatments as well as the types of treatments to be applied. The literature shows that previous researchers mainly focused on time-based M&R strategies, but there have been some efforts toward developing condition-based strategies, such as the Indiana Bridge Management System (IBMS). While IBMS and similar systems were laudable efforts, they also were developed on the basis of the judgment and experience of bridge management personnel and were not data-driven