Bridge Inspector's Training Manual/90

This document, the Bridge Inspector's Training Manual (BITM) 90, is a comprehensive manual on programs, procedures, and techniques for inspecting and evaluating a variety of in-service highway bridges. It is intended to replace the BITM 70 which was first published in 1970 to assist in training highway personnel for the new discipline of bridge safety inspection. BITM 70 has been in use for 20 years and has been the basis for several training programs varying in length from a few days to two weeks. Comprehensive supplements to BITM 70 have been developed to cover inspection of fracture critical bridge members, movable bridges, and culverts. BITM 90 is a revision and upgrading of the previous manual. Improved bridge inspection techniques are presented, and state-of-the-art inspection equipment is included. New or expanded coverage is provided on culverts, fracture critical members, cable-stayed bridges, prestressed segmental bridges, and underwater inspection. Previous supplemental manuals on culvert inspection, fracture critical inspection, movable bridge inspection, and nondestructive testing are excerpted and referenced. These previous special manuals are still valid supplements to BITM 90. A three-week comprehensive training program on bridge inspection, based on the BITM 90, has been developed. The program consists of a one-week course, "Engineering Concepts for Bridge Inspectors," and a two-week course, "Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges." Together, these two courses meet the definition of a comprehensive training program in bridge inspection as defined in the National Bridge Inspection Standards. The one-week course is optional for technicians, inspectors, or engineers who have an adequate background in bridge engineering concepts. March 1995 revisions include various minor changes to text, photographs, and schematics.