Assessing Impact of Climate Change on Oklahoma Bridge Deck and Superstructure Deterioration using National Bridge Inventory Data

Abstract

Bridge deterioration is a prominent problem in the United States. Bridge deck and superstructure elements are often exposed to harsh conditions and their performance is critical in the overall sufficiency of a bridge. Many transportation agencies specify material properties, mix designs, and construction methods to create long-lasting bridges and reduce the possibility of deterioration for typical conditions, but there is another factor that may contribute to the problem: “Climate Change”. The impact of a changing climate may be more severe in a state with diverse climate conditions, such as Oklahoma. Therefore, studying the impacts of climate change on existing bridges is necessary. The overarching objective of this research was to assess the impact of climate change on bridge deck and superstructure deterioration in Oklahoma by incorporating climate data from the Oklahoma Mesonet and bridge data from the National Bridge Inventory over time. Differences in freeze-thaw cycles, annual rainfall, and total solar radiation were found to correlate with differences in deck or superstructure ratings for a number of the climate stations examined, but exact relationships were not clearly identifiable by the methods used.