Decks
Vehicle-Mounted Bridge Inspection System
Locate Bridge Deck Delaminations without Traffic Delays
Bridge deck scanning with our Infrared system eliminates the danger to personnel while still allowing traffic and commerce to flow. The BridgeGuard infrared (IR) thermal sensor is mounted on a standard vehicle and scans an entire lane in a single pass, all at highway speeds with the technician safely inside the vehicle.
Bridge Deck Highlights
-
Vehicle-mounted IR thermal detection system
-
Scans lanes at near highway speeds
-
Faster and more cost efficient than traditional methods
-
Increased safety, no lane closures: for both data collection technicians and travelers
-
On-board laptop with application-specific software collects data at near highway speeds
-
Comprehensive, detailed electronic with asset management tools reports

Thermal Inspection of Bridge Decks
The BridgeGuard thermal imaging system records the infrared radiance of the bridge deck to locate cold and hot spots. These thermal variations can indicate the presence of delaminations within the concrete deck during periods of thermal flux. An on-board laptop with proprietary software records the entire scan of the bridge, like a thermal movie, for technicians to review and identify delaminations during the analysis process. The sensitivity of the sensor system allows for detection of thermal differences of less than .09 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as the number and location of delaminations. The percent of delamination for the entire deck area is also calculated and a full "to scale" deck map is included within the reports. Bridge Managers now have the information to prioritize and budget for repairs among bridges and across regional infrastructure. Using the web based regression tools, clients can evaluate historical data for an increased understanding of the rate of deck deterioration, thus providing a valuable asset management tool.
> View Video Demonstration
Substructure Elements
Portable Bridge Inspection System

Locate Delaminations in Bridge Elements from Land or Boat
In the past, locating delaminations in substructure elements such as caps, piles and web walls required lane closure and snooper trucks to perform soundings and visual inspections. The BridgeGuard Infrared portable inspection service allows technicians to detect and calculate the area of delaminations on bridge elements up to 125 feet high.
Substructure Element Highlights
-
Portable, lightweight IR thermal detection system can be either held or mounted on a standard surveying tripod
-
Faster and safer with no lane closures
-
Inspect elevated concrete structures - 125' high
-
High accuracy with digital range finder
-
Comprehensive, detailed reports with interactive 3D model
-
Can be operated from land or water

Thermal Inspection of Bridge Substructure Elements
A built-in digital range finder provides an accurate measurement of distance to the point of measurement. Subsurface defects like delaminations become thermally visible during periods of thermal flux. The area of each delamination (in2 or ft2.) is later computed from these thermal images. Detailed reports are exported, providing a comprehensive and visible understanding of the bridge condition. Technicians remain safely on the ground or in a boat, and DOT management can "see" each delamination's thermal "footprint" in the detailed inspection report. Contact us for more details and learn how our portable inspection service can be of help to you.
Reporting Results of Bridge Deck Inspections
BridgeGuard provides a complete system to locate the thermal indications of delaminations. After post-processing, a trained technician exports a condition report showing the position and size of each delamination. The report includes the number of delaminations and compiles all delamination sizes to give a percentage of the entire deck area that is delaminated. This information is then reviewed by the bridge agency to determine if remediation is needed. Each report is archived and provides a historical record of bridge conditions, allowing long-term planning of maintenance protocols and providing valuable asset management tools. The reports can be printed, merged to a PDF document, or posted online for management review.
> Contact BridgeGuard to request a sample report