This is similar to a patient who delays getting a chest X-ray until feeling sick and symptoms are obvious. At that late stage, the x-ray reveals a mass that leads to a diagnosis of stage 4 cancer. Had the x-ray occurred earlier, the cancer could have been detected at an early stage when it was curable. Deterioration within a bridge is similar to a progressive disease like cancer. If caught early, the deterioration can be more cost-effectively repaired, thereby extending the service life of the structure.

IPC’s Bridge Condition Assessment Inspections provides valuable information to bridge owners and engineers performing load rating analysis by identifying locations and degrees of concrete deterioration as well as rebar placement patterns and sizing. This information is used to create Condition Assessment Ratings and Remaining Life Estimates.