LTBP bridge performance primer.

2013Hamid GhasemiPDFTech ReportFHWA-HRT-13-051DTFH61-07-R-00136BridgesPerformance testsBridge, Bridge performance, Performance measures, Long-term bridge performanceUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure Research and DevelopmentHooks, John M.Frangopol, Dan M.Rutgers University. Center for Advanced Infrastructure and TransportationUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure Research and DevelopmentFederal Highway Administration"The performance of bridges is critical to the overall performance of the highway transportation system in the United States. However, many critical aspects of bridge performance are not well understood. The reasons for this include the extreme diversity of the bridge infrastructure, the widely varying conditions under which bridges serve, and the lack of reliable data needed to understand performance. The Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program was created to identify, collect, and analyze research-quality data on the most critical aspects of bridge performance. This report describes the bridge infrastructure in the United States and explains why reliable indicators of bridge performance are necessary. Current methods of measuring performance are described, and the need for more precisely targeted performance indicators is discussed. The report explains bridge performance in terms of the aspects that have the most impact on the ability of the bridge to serve its intended purpose in a safe, efficient, and economical manner. The purpose of this report is to provide an understanding of what bridge performance means and the factors that influence bridge performance. It describes the various ways in which bridge owners measure and report bridge performance. It also describes how the LTBP Program will create new measures to allow deeper analysis and understanding, which will lead to ways to improve long-term bridge performance.