Bridge inspection practices and bridge management programs in China, Japan, Korea, and U.S.

Abstract The present study reviews bridge inspection practices and bridge management programs in China, Japan, Korea, and U.S. Bridges play an essential role in transportation systems and in the economic production process. Transportation agencies should maintain bridges in acceptable conditions to provide a desirable level of service to the public within limited budgets. In addition, a number of bridges are aging rapidly in these four countries. Fortunately, since several countries have experienced deteriorated bridges due to aging, the countries considered in this study have already developed comprehensive bridge management system (BMS) and bridge inspection practices. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to search for and synthesize useful knowledge on BMSs and bridge inspection practices of the four countries. Finally, recommendations that will serve as guidance to transportation agencies for potential enhancements to BMS and bridge inspections are presented.