Issue 6 - May 2023

Igniting A Spark in Engineering

Inspecting Bridges:
Inside, Above, & Below

Bridge inspections don’t always involve an engineer repelling from a bridge. In this issue, we’ll explore the unique ways engineers inspect bridges to make sure they’re safe and sound.

Before and after: Steel tested for tensile strength in the materials lab.

Inspecting Bridges Inside - Materials Testing

by Michael Black

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Materials routinely tests and evaluates materials incorporated into roads and bridges. Bridges are very complex structures with many components, all of which need to be evaluated for safety and specification compliance. One of those components is bridge bolts. The Physical Properties section in the Division of Materials evaluates bridge bolts for compliance by testing them for tensile strength, elongation, and hardness.

They are also tested in the chemistry lab to ensure the chemical composition of the bolts are within specification limits. In addition to bolts, we evaluate washers, nuts Direct Tension Indicators (DTIs), and reinforcing bars for compliance. Other bridge components such as structural steel coatings are also evaluated for compliance in the chemistry lab. Once a particular component lot is deemed acceptable for use, the product is then approved for installation. Bridge inspectors oversee construction activities in the field to ensure all components are installed correctly. The testing of bridge components and coatings is just one activity that happens behind the scenes in an effort to keep the traveling public safe by ensuring the materials that make up our bridges are safe.

Bridge Inspection in Floyd County off U.S. 23

All structures carrying public roads in the U.S. undergo a routine inspection every 24 months. For certain spans, a hands-on inspection of critical members is performed. 

Bat bridge photos from C2 Strategic Communications

Inspecting Bridges that House Bats

What do you do when a bridge with flaking concrete, large cracks and exposed, rusted steel needs to be replaced but also serves as a home for thousands of endangered gray bats? 

Design a bat-friendly bridge that provides a successful habitat for the species & a safe connection for local motorists! Watch the video above to learn more!

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Scuba picture provided by John Loftus of Marine Solutions (a KYTC contractor)

Inspecting Bridges Underwater

by Erin Van Zee

SCUBA and surface supplied air commercial diving are one of the most important skill sets in bridge inspection. Around 85% of bridges in Kentucky are over water, and the most important thing that bridge inspectors look for under the water is if the substructure’s structural capacity has been compromised. 60% of all bridges fail due to an erosive force called "scour." Because of this, all bridges over water must be inspected for scour.

But what happens when the water is too deep or too swift to wade? Underwater bridge inspector divers must be called in to inspect the substructure.

The divers use methods such as SCUBA, surface supplied air commercial diving, sonar scanning, and hydrographic surveys to feel and look around all substructure units to make sure they are safe.

The divers scan the underwater portions of the structures to check for any erosion or issues that need to be checked or fixed. They use technologies such as sonar, Hydrographic Surveys, Volumetric Multibeam (Coda), Viewing software (iView4D) and other tools that enable inspectors to see more than what we can see with our eyes alone.

Scuba picture provided by John Loftus of Marine Solutions (a KYTC contractor)

75 Years of Civil Engineering Scholarships

June 2023 marks the 75th year of the Transportation Cabinet’s Civil Engineering Scholarship Program. The program has been the primary pipeline for the cabinet’s engineers for many years and has undergone several changes since its inception in 1948. Click here to learn more about the history and growth of this important program that has withstood the test of time. Former scholarship recipients are invited to a celebration on June 29th in Frankfort.

Transportation Summer Info Session

From bridges to roads in small towns to big cities, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet keeps Kentucky moving. We offer a range of careers opportunities in the STEM field like bridge engineers, biologists, and drone pilots. 

Interested in learning more about what engineers do at the Transportation Cabinet?

Students are invited to join us
for an informational all-day session to learn what goes into
planning, designing, building, and maintaining Kentucky’s roads and bridges.

July 26
9:00 am to 3:30 pm EST
Transportation Cabinet Office Bldg
200 Mero St
Frankfort, KY 40622

RSVP to Ramona.Brock@ky.gov by June 2
Seats are limited so don’t delay in responding!

Build a Better Kentucky at KYTC

Presentation HIGHLIGHT:

In this presentation and activity, we introduce environmental impacts that KYTC considers when planning a road, bridge, or highway. Students discover the connections to the environment.  

Learn more about the KEEN program on our website. 

KYTC wishes you a wonderful Spring 2023!

KYTC'S Mission

To provide a safe, efficient, environmentally sound and fiscally responsible transportation system that delivers economic opportunity and enhances the quality of life in Kentucky.