Metrics and Goals
Throughout history, bridges have been essential in connecting communities and facilitating transportation globally. Regrettably, their significance is often overlooked, with their structural integrity frequently neglected and maintenance inadequately addressed until a tragedy, like the Silver Bridge disaster, occurs.
This disaster prompted a surge in thorough and superficial bridge inspections, leading to necessary rehabilitations or replacements. Yet, due to various factors, predominantly financial, only a minimal portion of bridges nationwide have received adequate care.
Compounding this issue, many newly constructed bridges are already exhibiting concerning signs of wear and deterioration, notably accelerated by the use of de-icing salts. This issue represents just one of the numerous challenges facing the bridge construction community.
Recent news has frequently highlighted the topic of bridges, but not everyone is informed about the specific problems, their causes, potential solutions, and prevention strategies. Moreover, it's concerning that government authorities have yet to fully acknowledge the magnitude of this national bridge crisis.
As reported in the January 2018 edition of Equipment World, an alarming 54,000 bridges across federal, state, and local levels in the nation are considered structurally deficient.
Our Goals
Bridges are crucial to our transportation networks, yet they face significant challenges. In this context, we present the goals and vision of the Association for Bridge Construction and Design. We'll first outline our key objectives: education, innovation, and support in bridge construction and maintenance. Then, we'll highlight the association's inception, spearheaded by Mr. Nalin H. Udani, and how it has grown into a collective force for bridge safety and technological advancement.
Vision and Objective
In response to the escalating bridge crisis, Mr. Nalin H. Udani, a Bridge Engineer at PennDOT, conceived the Association for Bridge Construction and Design. In June 1976, he gathered a team of professionals from the bridge sector to form an initial committee. This committee's task was to draft a constitution and outline foundational steps for launching the Association.
This initiative led to the creation of a collective comprising passionate educators, engineers, builders, and material suppliers.
Their unified aim is to achieve these key goals: