Bridge Life Cycle Cost Savings

Standard practice during bridge design and construction is to consider the biddability of the construction documents, the constructability of the design, and the operability of the asset. Quite often, designers do not consider the inspectability of the bridge over its life cycle. Inspection, required by law on a 24-month cycle at a maximum, presents the bridge owner with costs: labor, equipment expenses, travel impacts, and safety. These costs, especially for complex bridges, signature structures, and high-level river crossings, can be reduced if inspectability is included in the design. …