NDT-Based Assessment of Bridge Substructure
| Role | Name/Details |
|---|---|
| Principal Investigator | Dr. Nur Yazdani |
| Graduate Research Assistant | Md Manshib Tazowar |
Project Overview
The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is leading a research initiative in collaboration with the TxDOT Fort Worth District to address the issue of unknown bridge foundations. Many older bridges in the region lack as-built plans, particularly regarding foundation details, which poses a significant risk during scour events and infrastructure upgrades. This project aims to identify foundation depths of more than 140 bridges using non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to enable better scour vulnerability assessments and support safer, more informed bridge management decisions.
Project Goals
- Investigate and document the condition and depth of bridge foundations with missing or incomplete construction records.
- Apply Sonic Echo/Impulse Response (SE/IR) and Parallel Seismic (PS) methods to determine foundation depths without destructive excavation
- Integrate findings into TxDOT’s Form 537 for simplified Scour Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) procedures.
- Collect and analyze soil data to assess foundation erodibility and scour risk.
- Deliver recommendations for safer bridge inspections, evaluations, and maintenance planning through monthly technical reports, final report and presentation.
- Contribute to TxDOT’s infrastructure safety and resilience initiatives through informed decision-making support.