Bridge deterioration is directly linked to its structural safety and functionality, consequently impacting public safety. Thus, factors such as structural adequacy, safety, serviceability and the functional obsolescence of the bridge must be evaluated to determine whether they should remain in service or be replaced. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Highway Bridge Program (HBP) are responsible for selecting bridges that require either rehabilitation or replacement depending on their sufficiency rating which considers various factors. However, the existing sufficiency rating method lacks some key details and needs to be improved by incorporating additional factors that could potentially result in a better and more efficient methodology. The current study shall develop rating scores for the bridges based on the existing Sufficiency Rating System (SRS), and through expansion of the SRS with additional information to make a more accurate assessment on the status of bridges. The proposed tool shall be useful in making objective and data-driven decisions for local bridge maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement. This new and improved tool could be reviewed and applied nation-wide and will be very beneficial to the Transportation Industry in particular.
Thus far, the sufficiency rating systems of the 50 states have been studied and results yielded approximately 89% of the states are confirmed use the FHWA system. In terms of eligibility for funding, some discrepancies were found in the methods/programs used to do so. Approximately 66% of the states are confirmed to be using the SSR as the criteria for funding eligibility.