Underwater Bridge Inspections
Project Overview
F&V provided underwater inspection of foundation/substructure units for twenty-seven bridges in St. Clair County. The work included performing visual and tactile underwater inspection utilizing self-contained breathing apparatus’ (SCUBA) of the submerged accessible elements, scour evaluation, depth soundings, and preparing reports detailing the findings. The work was completed in two phases:
- Site inspection and data gathering including the review of previous inspections and scour data
- Report writing and communication of information to SCCRC
Underwater bridge inspections are required for all bridges listed in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) every five years. Inspections discovered the condition of all substructure/foundation units and recorded all defects that were detected. Benefits include compliance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS), and improved capital improvement plans for bridge and culvert assets.
