Validating Concrete Overlay Performance on a Key Interstate Corridor

To ensure the long-term performance of two twin reinforced concrete T-beam bridges carrying Interstate 81 over Tattle Branch Road in Smyth County, Virginia, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) engaged BDI to evaluate recent concrete repairs. These bridges serve a vital role on a heavily traveled truck route, making structural reliability a top priority. Following the contractor’s application…

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Drone-Assisted Inspection of the I-380 Bridge over Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad

BDI partnered with Pickering, Corts & Summerson to assist their National Highway Institute (NHI) routine inspection of the I-380 near Scranton, Pennsylvania bridge over Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad. The bridge’s complex geometry and limited accessibility presented challenges for traditional inspection methods. To enhance visual coverage and documentation, BDI provided drone inspection services, enabling access to…

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USDA Forest Service

Bridges with unknown reinforcement and/or material properties present a unique challenge for owners. Lack of adequate structural information, often caused by lost or damaged plans, prevents these structures from being properly evaluated, and leads to uncertainty about the adequacy of these bridges for current design, legal, and permit loads. To help bridge owners facing this…

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CLT Instrumentation

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is undergoing a major expansion with the addition of a fourth parallel runway. Scheduled to open in 2027, the new 10,000-foot runway is designed to accommodate increasing passenger traffic and enhance operational efficiency. To support their research on pavement performance, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) partnered…

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CDOT Benesch Ratings

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) required updated load ratings for a series of off-system bridges. In collaboration with Benesch Engineering, BDI conducted load ratings for 36 prestressed concrete bridges in accordance with AASHTO LRFR and CDOT rating specifications. Using AASHTOWare Bridge Rating (BrR) software, BDI delivered efficient and accurate analyses, supporting CDOT’s efforts to…

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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…

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BCR BMW – Heavy Haul

Supporting Safe Heavy Transport for BMW Spartanburg Expansion In support of Barnhart Crane & Rigging’s (BCR) 2023 transport operations to the BMW Spartanburg Plant in Greer, South Carolina, BDI was engaged to provide structural evaluation services critical to the transport permitting process. BCR’s project involved hauling superheavy equipment with gross vehicle weights ranging from 746…

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Ballard Bridge Monitoring

BDI’s rope access engineers and technicians perform system install

The Salmon Bay Bridge is a single-leaf bascule and steel truss bridge that carries two tracks of the BNSF Railroad between Magnolia and Ballard in Seattle, WA. Built in 1912, it has served as a vital component of Seattle’s rail and waterway infrastructure for over a century. Today, the bridge accommodates approximately 30–40 train crossings…

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Anna Maria Hardness Testing

View of bascule pinion gear assembly

Anna Maria Island (Manatee Ave.) Bridge connects the mainland city of Bradenton, FL to Anna Maria Island. This double-leaf bascule drawbridge, built in 1957, makes frequent openings due to the structure’s low clearance. While the bridge has been slated for replacement, due to its low clearance, narrow lanes, and older design, there is no established…

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LADOTD Deck Evaluations

View of bascule pinion gear assembly

BDI is an industry leader in advanced methods for concrete deck evaluation, using technologies such as High-Resolution Imaging and BDI’s proprietary SounDAR system to perform deck evaluations with efficiency and accuracy. BDI was engaged by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) to perform a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of four structures carrying I-10 over…

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