Title: A Bayesian updating approach for bridge condition assessment using visual inspection data

Authors: Mojtaba Dirbaz; Mehdi Modares; Jamshid Mohammadi

Addresses: MWH Americas, Inc., 305 N. Orleans Street Suite 1301, Chicago, IL, 60654, USA ' Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 201 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA ' Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3201 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA

Abstract: This paper presents a new method for assessing the condition of a bridge. This method will hereafter be referred to as Bayesian Bridge Condition Assessment (BBCA). Using BBCA, first, the condition rating of a bridge is expressed using probability values in order to consider the uncertainties. Then, as new information for condition rating becomes available, the prior condition rating is updated to arrive at a posterior condition rating using Bayesian updating approach. This enhanced condition rating represents the up-to-date condition; and as such, it is expected to be a better representative of the condition of the bridge. Numerical illustrations are provided to demonstrate the applicability of the method to highway bridges. It is shown that the method described in this paper is especially applicable to bridges for which visual inspection data are compiled on a periodic basis.

Keywords: bridge condition assessment; visual inspection; Bayesian updating; condition ratings; visual inspection; probability values; uncertainties; highway bridges; condition monitoring.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTRUCTE.2016.076691

International Journal of Structural Engineering, 2016 Vol.7 No.2, pp.127 - 144

Received: 16 May 2015
Accepted: 30 Jul 2015
Published online: 22 May 2016 *

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