Bonnet Carre Spillway Visual Inspection
The I-10 Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridges are twin bridges carrying I-10 EB and WB over the Bonnet Carre Spillway and Lake Pontchartrain. The bridges, completed in 1972, are each 11 miles long. The superstructures are comprised of prestressed concrete girder and steel girder spans with reinforced concrete deck. The substructures are comprised of primarily reinforced concrete piers and pier caps along with some locations of prestressed piles. Both structures also contain steel pier caps, which have been defined as a fracture critical members due to lack of load path redundancy.
BDI was engaged by Louisiana Department of Transportation (LADOTD) to perform the NBIS routine and fracture critical inspections of both bridges and their emergency crossovers. BDI has inspected these structures multiple times, with the most recent inspection being carried out from November 2022 to January 2023.
To inspection the top-of-deck visual inspection was supported with high-resolution imaging (HRI) using a 360-degree camera mounted to a vehicle to capture detailed imagery of the entire deck surface. BDI’s FAA-certified drone pilot also supported the visual inspection with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s). Using images compiled by both methods, BDI was able to create a 3-dimensional visual model of the structures for inspection purposes, without causing delays to the public.
The NBIS routine inspection of the underside of the deck, superstructure, and substructure were performed using traditional methods with access by boat or on foot. The most recent inspections were carried out from November 2022 to January 2023 by BDI’s NBIS/NHI-routine inspection certified engineers and inspectors.
The fracture critical inspection of the steel pier caps was performed by BDI personnel using an under bridge inspection vehicle (UBIV). The most recent inspections were carried out in January of 2023 by BDI’s NBIS/NHI-fracture critical engineers and inspectors.
BDI has performed multiple routine and fracture critical inspections for the state of Louisiana for the past 10 years. BDI has done multiple inspections of bridges over 5 miles in length and continues to perform these inspections per LADOTD’s needs.
