NDE
Evaluating Unknown Bridge Foundations Across Texas with Ultraseismic Testing
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) contracted BDI to evaluate unknown bridge foundations at 48 bridges across Texas. As part of TxDOT’s bridge inspection program, the project focused on assessing foundation condition and scour vulnerability to support National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) reporting requirements. To gather critical foundation data, BDI performed detailed field inspections and…
Read MoreTelecom Tower Foundation Evaluation
Telecom tower owners rely on accurate foundation information to support asset management decisions, structural analyses, and antenna upgrades. When design drawings are unavailable or unreliable, BDI helps owners determine foundation dimensions without costly excavation. For more than a decade, BDI has performed unknown foundation investigations for telecommunications infrastructure using advanced nondestructive testing technologies. Engineers first…
Read MoreUltrasonic Testing of Spillway Gate Anchor Bars
BDI was contracted by the Grant County Public Utility District to evaluate the condition of spillway gate anchor bars at Priest Rapids Dam in Washington State. As a key component of the Columbia River hydroelectric system, the dam relies on these concrete embedded anchor bars to safely support and operate its spillway gates. Because the…
Read MoreUHPC Overlay Bond Strength Evaluation
The Delaware Memorial Bridge, which carries I-295 across the Delaware River between Delaware and New Jersey, is a critical transportation link for the region. As part of preservation efforts the Delaware River Bridge Authority had an ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) deck installed on the bridge deck. To evaluate the effectiveness of the repair, BDI was…
Read MoreDrone-Assisted Bridge Inspection of I-380 Over the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad
BDI partnered with engineers to support a routine National Highway Institute (NHI) bridge inspection of the I-380 Bridge over the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad near Scranton, Pennsylvania. The bridge’s complex geometry and challenging access conditions made traditional bridge inspection methods less efficient, creating an ideal application for drone-based bridge inspection technology. To improve inspection coverage…
Read MoreMarshall Space Flight Center NDT-E
BDI was contracted to provide the inspection, evaluation, and testing of the Marshall Space Flight Center Test Stand 4670 in Huntsville, Alabama, specifically levels 12-15. The Test Stand consists of four post-tensioned concrete legs that are 30 square ft along the top and 48 square feet along the bottom. These four legs support a platform…
Read MoreSupporting Miter Gate Maintenance on the Upper Mississippi River
BDI has partnered with the St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to support ongoing maintenance operations at Lock & Dam sites along the Upper Mississippi River. In the winter, during the off-season for river traffic, these sites are dewatered on a scheduled cycle to allow for inspection and maintenance of key structural components,…
Read MoreLake Limestone Spillway
Sterling C. Robertson Dam impounds the Navasota River forming Lake Limestone, which serves primarily as a water supply reservoir. The dam, completed in 1978, features an approximately 250-foot-wide concrete service spillway which has been slated for significant rehabilitation. As part of the rehabilitation effort, BDI was engaged by Stantec to locate and measure the extent…
Read MoreValidating 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…
Read MoreUSDA 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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