Evaluating steel-reinforced concrete bridge decks using ground-penetrating radar: models for deterioration.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20001042

Lack of regular maintenance programs for infrastructure systems in the United States has created a sizeable financial gap between available and required funds to keep these essential systems in good condition. Asset management strategies are being employed to ensure the most efficient use of available funds. Bridges, and their decks in particular, are components of the infrastructure system that are well suited for management by these systems due to their accessibility and general uniformity. Essential to successful bridge management is knowledge of the current state of the bridge network as well as the ability to forecast future states. Several nondestructive testing technologies have the potential to fill this role and among them, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) stands out as an efficient and easy to use tool.