Current Inspection Issues
GOOD AFTERNOON
These are the current issues as of July 04, 2008
 | May-19-2008 | There is new functionality add to the BMS site. To use the maps, there is a new link in the “Bridge Data“ navigation tree called “Bridge Location“. The site has the ability to locate and display bridges on Google Maps background. The site also has the ability to update the location of the bridge. Privileges for updating brides are the same a update bridge inventory and inspection data. All inspectors have this privilege. There are two methods of updating the bridge location. By NBI requirements, the location is the center of the bridge. The first is keying in the location. The format is noted under the data entry field. [latitude is ddmmss.ss and longitude is dddmmss.ss; where dd is degrees, mm is minutes and ss.ss is seconds and decimal seconds] The second way is to us the map itself. The maker can be dragged to the location of the bridge. The location will be computed and placed in the key-in fields. To update click “Update Current Bridge Location“. It will give you a notice that the location is updated and the map will refresh. The map has several other features such as pan and zoom. |
| Feb-21-2008 | The critical priority was just added to the database to accommodate a critical findings report that is required by FHWA. It is intended to show an item that requires IMMEDIATE ATTENTION by this office. When you think the critical priority is called for then we need an immediate phone call to the Bridge Mangement Section so that the required fix can be set in motion. And then we will decide together if a critical priority is correct. Examples: crack in steel girder, may or may not be critical. If drilling them is necessary, but can wait then it's not critical. We'll help determine that. Overheight hit to bridge girder, may or may not be critical. Depends on the severity or the need for immediate attention, again we'll help determine that. |
| Mar-30-2007 | There has been an issue with the bridges that are "slabs". Many of the slabs have longitudinal joints and are reinforced with prestress strands. The Bridge Management Section has concluded that all of these bridge types should be coded with a slab element (not 104). In addition, the Bridge Management Section has included a new Smart Flag for tracking the deterioration of these elements. The Smart Flag is 371-Soffit (Under-Surface) of Prestress Concrete Slabs. This flag will only be used with prestress slabs and will track the deterioration of the concrete and prestressing strands. The database and the inspection manual online have been updated for this new smart flag. |
| Mar-30-2007 | The Bridge Inspection Database has been updated with the new elements [Concrete Top Flange Girder]. Durning the inspection season, please update the bridges with a the new top flange girder element. Also the new smart flags have been added. |
| Jul-28-2006 | Input of Underwater Inspection: The important thing to remember here is the association between your underwater and routine inspections. Even though they will show different dates they will be "combined" to complete the inspection for the bridge. So even though you need to do them at different times you need to keep them close enough time-wise to ensure the condition states are accurate and relate (from superstructure to submerged/substructure elements) for that inspection cycle. |
| Jul-28-2006 | Input of Underwater Inspection (cont): So when a bridge which requires an underwater 1 inspection has an underwater inspection come due in a particular year (48 month cycle - should coincide year wise with a routine inspection (24 month cycle), that bridge is not considered fully inspected until it has both a routine and an underwater inspection completed. The underwater inspection is then associated with the routine inspection completed during the same cycle. |
| Jul-28-2006 | Input of Underwater Inspection (cont): So here is what you would do. Get into the bridge as normal and go to NIB/Element data as always. You will be in a NIB/Element level inspection with a given date - the last one done probably. Click on the furthest underwater inspection button to the left "Underwater Imps Condi". You must start here, you can't go to cross-sections until you have answered the questions on that page. Anyway if there is not an underwater inspection already associated with the date for the this routine (NIB/Element) inspection you will be taken directly to the dates screen. HERE IS WHERE YOU WILL PUT IN THE DATES YOU WANT FOR THE UNDERWATER INSPECTION. The underwater inspection dates will be accepted, and this underwater inspection will be associated or tied to the routine inspection even though the dates are different. NOW CLICK ON CREATE INSPECTION. The underwater condition screen will come up and you will update anything needing it and add notes if you think they are needed. You will next click the "Underwater Imps Sect" button, so your updates to the condition screen will be made, or if nothing has changed the old data will be brought forward to the new date. Then as always enter you cross-section data. |
| May-01-2006 | The database has been updated to track TE routes. These routes are on the roadway page. They have been updated to "Not TE Rte". Please update. |
| Feb-27-2006 | BMS006 - Listing of workcandiates has been added to the print menu. The report works the same as all of the other BMSXXX reports. The user will need to use the query tool to develop specific report lists |
| Jan-13-2006 | The BRIDGE INSPECTION MANUAL has been updated. The updated sections include |
| Jul-18-2005 | The late inspection report has been fixed- The report has the "other inspections" on the list. |
| Jun-01-2005 | Many of you are sending and using incorrect formatted bridge ids. The "official" bridge id has only one special character and that is the plus sign. None of the bridge ids have spaces, dashes or decimal points. Please when referencing a bridge, use the id that is listed in the database. |
| Feb-03-2005 | All of the fracture critical inspections have been modified to reflect the new Federal requirement of inspection on 24 month cycles. This change has placed some of the structures PAST DUE. Please review the FC bridges for the change in due dates. |
| Nov-24-2004 | The CULVERT LAYOUT form has been modified to include the dimension between the barrels on multiple pipe installations. When considering the pipe group for inclusion to the inventory, review the language of NBI Item 112. Pipe groups should not be included unless this criteria is meet. A structure including supports erected over a depression or an obstruction, such as water, highway, or railway, and having a track or passageway for carrying traffic or other moving loads, and having an opening measured along the center of the roadway of more than20 feet* between undercopings of abutments or spring lines of arches, or extreme ends of openings for multiple boxes; it may also include multiple pipes, where the clear distance between openings is less than half of the smaller contiguous opening.* (6.1 meters). The exceptions are the 11 foot timber structures that are part of the on-system routes. |
| Sep-02-2004 | !!! < Attention for Steel Bridge Inspections > !!! Reprint of mail message from Mike Murphy on August 13, 2004 3:23 PM Chapter 6, Section 2 of the Inspector's Manual shows a number of details we need to be concerned about. Though this section is in the fracture critical part of the manual, these details should be given special consideration during the inspection of all steel structures (not just those that are fracture critical). As given in the manual the details are categorized by letter, the lower the letter (alphabet-wize) the more fatigue prone the detail is. It's good practice to be aware of these weld details whenever you inspect a welded girder or rolled section. The Bridge Bureau is in the process of developing a list of steel bridges statewide. We will be trying to prioritize the bridges based on: fatigue prone details and live load cycles (ADT and % trucks), to develop a list that we should be most concerned with. We (the Bridge Bureau) will be deeply involved in getting these bridges looked at more closely, and providing guidance on future inspections, to determine to what extent the problem exists on a statewide basis. |
| Aug-31-2004 | Update to the Inspection Manual is now available. Chapter 1 Section 1 Page 1 and 2 has erroneous values for Condition States 3 and 4. The error was in the percentages, State 3 should have been between 10 and 25 percent, State 4 should have been between 25 and 50 percent. The corrected pages are posted in the Inspection Manual link. If you are having problems displaying the Acrobat File, use this link: Chapter 1 Section 1 |
| Dec-02-2003 | there has been some problems with some of the reports not working at the district level. A patch has been placed on the system to fix this problem. All of the reports should work. |
| Nov-10-2003 | The creation of the Acrobat files has been fixed for the users of IE 6 SP 1 with Q822925. There may be some latency in the report submission with the new process. Please be patient. |
| Oct-14-2003 | With the update of the Oracle database this website had to make some changes 1-The weather links have been fixed 2-Inspection Manaul pages have been updated 3-Recording of the underwater inspections have been added Other issues: Internet Explore Version 6 SP1 and Q822925 dose not allow Acrobate to display reports. A work-around is being worked on |
| Mar-08-2002 | Users that are logon to this site (Bridge Inspectors) Please log off when completing work for that session. Thanks- |
| Feb-15-2002 | This is the new site. Only requirement is Internet Explorer and Adobe Acrobat. |