UNDERWATER BRIDGE INSPECTION – ROUTINE AND EMERGENCY
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Project Type
Bridge & Structural Condition Inspection
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Date
Ongoing
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Location
Statewide, Pennsylvania
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Role
Objectives:
Prudent Engineering provides experienced and knowledgeable registered engineers and NBIS Team Leaders for these projects.
![](https://devprudent.com/backend/uploads/media/2e8615_18d5bd6ef01045d9bf8d70406060f35a~mv2.jpeg)
The engineers at Prudent Engineering witness and oversee the underwater inspection work performed by commercial divers from the on-site, dive boat location. The commercial divers, at the direction of the engineer, make close inspection of the underwater bridge elements, with particular attention paid to structural defects and river bottom scour – conditions that may compromise the bridge and affect public safety. The divers typically use either supplied air or self contained equipment as conditions and depths warrant. Besides the inspection of the bridge elements, river bottom depth profiles are produced using sonar, as documentation of the extent of scour.
Prudent prepares drawings for both the bridge elements and the river bottom conditions, which are presented in the final inspection report to the client. Overall, Prudent provides:
- Direction of inspection as on-site Professional Engineer.
- Measurement of river bottom depth profiles and scour conditions using sonar.
- Preparation of drawings and river bottom contour maps.
- Overview of inspection reports.
- Top side assistance to divers with equipment and communications.