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InspectionOnline self-study

Substructure Inspection: Abutments, Piers and Bents

1 PDH · about 60 minutes · Course no. BR-I08 · Instructor: Michael Craig, PE

About the instructor

Michael Craig, PE is Senior Vice President and Southeast Director at Strinteg Corporation, leading bridge inspection and structural engineering across eight states and Puerto Rico. In 27+ years he has inspected over 4,000 structures and completed 3,000+ load ratings and 160+ load tests. He has managed repair and preservation design for complex bridges, including cable-stayed bridges. He holds PE licenses in twelve states, DC and Puerto Rico, SPRAT Level 1, and FAA Part 107 credentials.

Substructures carry everything. This course covers abutments, piers and bents — how they deteriorate, how to spot movement, and how substructure findings connect to scour and load rating.

⬇ Download study guide (PDF)

Learning objectives

  • Describe common substructure types
  • Recognize settlement, rotation and undermining
  • Inspect pile bents and pier caps
  • Connect findings to scour and load rating

Outline

  1. Substructure types
  2. Movement: settlement, rotation, sliding
  3. Concrete and steel substructure deterioration
  4. Scour and undermining
  5. Connecting findings to rating and action
  6. Part A — Learning objectives and how to use this course
  7. Part B — Substructure types and how they work
  8. Part C — Planning the substructure inspection
  9. Part D — Concrete substructures: what to look for
  10. Part E — Steel, timber and masonry substructures
  11. Part F — Movement: settlement, tilt, rotation and sliding
  12. Part G — Scour and stream instability at the substructure
  13. Part H — Collision, ice, debris and other loads
  14. Part I — Element quantities and the substructure rating
  15. Part J — When to call the structural engineer
  16. Part K — Worked examples
  17. Part L — Integral abutments, MSE walls and approaches
  18. Part M — Preservation and repair options
  19. Part N — Documentation that makes trends visible
  20. Part O — Frequently asked questions
  21. Part P — Summary checklist and glossary
  22. Part Q — Inspections after floods, earthquakes and other events
  23. Part R — More worked examples for self-check
  24. Part S — Reviewer's checklist for substructure findings
  25. Part T — The bearing seat: where superstructure meets substructure
  26. Part U — Field note examples: weak versus strong
  27. Part V — Self-check questions before the quiz
  28. Open the course (33 screens, 2 knowledge checks)
  29. Final quiz — 10 questions, 70% to pass

References

  1. FHWA, Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (BIRM), FHWA-NHI-12-049, 2012 (as revised)
  2. AASHTO, Manual for Bridge Element Inspection, 2nd Edition, 2019
  3. FHWA, HEC-18 Evaluating Scour at Bridges, 5th Edition, FHWA-HIF-12-003, 2012
  4. FHWA, Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI), FHWA-HIF-22-017, March 2022
  5. 23 CFR Part 650, Subpart C — National Bridge Inspection Standards (final rule published May 6, 2022)
  6. FHWA, HEC-20 Stream Stability at Highway Structures, 4th Edition, FHWA-HIF-12-004, 2012
  7. FHWA, HEC-23 Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures, 3rd Edition, FHWA-NHI-09-111 and -112, 2009
  8. FHWA, Underwater Bridge Inspection, FHWA-NHI-10-027, 2010
  9. ACI 345.1R-16, Guide for Maintenance of Concrete Bridge Members
  10. ACI 546R-14, Guide to Concrete Repair
  11. ACI 440.2R-17, Guide for the Design and Construction of Externally Bonded FRP Systems for Strengthening Concrete Structures
  12. Ritter, M.A., Timber Bridges: Design, Construction, Inspection, and Maintenance, USDA Forest Service EM 7700-8, 1990
  13. FHWA, Bridge Preservation Guide: Maintaining a Resilient Infrastructure to Preserve Mobility, FHWA-HIF-18-022, 2018