Bridges
Burgess & Niple’s team of bridge engineers is nationally known for their inspection, design, and rehabilitation expertise. With a focus on public safety and stretching our client’s transportation budgets, we provide creative, aesthetic, and cost-effective solutions to complex structural challenges.
Services include
Inspection
B&N’s bridge inspectors are trained structural engineers who understand bridge mechanics and can distinguish between cosmetic problems and structural defects. Our clients can count on reliable data to make accurate decisions regarding maintenance, rehabilitation and replacements.
Rehabilitation
With combined expertise in bridge design and inspection, B&N engineers have rehabilitated hundreds of bridges. From small maintenance repairs to extensive bridge rehabilitations, we extend the lifespan of aging structures while improving safety.
Design
We are nationally recognized for delivering complex, innovative, award-winning bridge designs. Our large in-house team of bridge engineers works with clients through atypical and challenging scenarios to deliver creative solutions that are aesthetic, durable and economical.
Load Rating
From small county structures to complex spans, B&N’s load rating experience covers an extensive range of bridge types and lengths. Tapping our bridge design and inspection expertise, our engineers have completed thousands of load ratings across the United States.
Bridge Inspection
With more than 20,000 NBIS inspections completed to date, Burgess & Niple is nationally recognized as a leader in bridge inspection. Our inspectors are trained structural engineers who understand bridge mechanics and can distinguish between cosmetic problems and structural defects. Our clients can count on reliable data to make accurate decisions regarding maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement.
Climbing Approach
Over 30 years ago, B&N pioneered a structural inspection approach using industrial rope access and adapted climbing techniques. Using this method that has proven to be safer, faster and less expensive than traditional methods, we have inspected thousands of bridges and saved clients millions of dollars in mechanical access equipment and traffic control costs during inspections.
Advanced Technology
B&N delivers inspection results quickly and accurately using the latest in data collection and reporting technology. This includes iPads and tablet computers and B&N’s customized cloud-based, paperless reporting system that allows inspectors to access and record information in the field.
Emergency Response
Our inspection team has extensive experience providing emergency structural assessments. Our mobile field units are on-call 24/7 and equipped to operate for extended periods of time under various emergency conditions. B&N’s structural access methods limit the need for heavy equipment, which maximizes safety and efficiency in rapid response situations.
Services
- Structural Evaluations & Ratings
- NBIS Inspection & PONTIS/BrM Data Collection
- Emergency Response Teams Available 24/7
- SPRAT-Certified Structural Engineers (Inspection, Testing and Confined Space Entry)
- Structural Health Monitoring
- Training
Ideas in Motion
B&N’s transportation experts design solutions at the forefront of innovation. This Within 24 hours of a naval ship striking a critical steel member on the Mathews Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida, B&N engineers were on site to inspect and help facilitate repair plans for this vital transportation link. Read more about this emergency inspection and how B&N’s adapted climbing techniques provided a significant advantage.
Bridge Rehabilitation
Across the country, communities are at risk of losing critical transportation links due to aging infrastructure and limited funding. Rehabilitating bridges can keep important community connections in operation when funding to build a new bridge is not immediately available.
With combined expertise in bridge design and inspection, B&N engineers have rehabilitated hundreds of bridges. From small maintenance repairs to extensive bridge rehabilitations, we extend the lifespan of aging structures while improving safety.
Services
- Overlays
- Deck Replacements
- Superstructure and Substructure Widening
- Concrete and Steel Repairs
- Existing Structure Analysis
- Fatigue Retrofits
Bridge Design
Burgess & Niple is nationally known for delivering complex, innovative, award-winning bridge designs. Our large in-house team of bridge engineers works with clients through atypical and challenging scenarios to deliver creative solutions that are aesthetic, durable and economical.
B&N’s portfolio ranges from standard grade-separated and river crossing bridges to landmark structures. In the last five years alone, we have designed more than 250 bridges and performed preliminary and detailed plan reviews for more than 2,000 bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects.
Our designs have received recognition at the local, state and national level. This includes the nine-time award-winning Rich Street Bridge and the Milton-Madison Bridge – the largest bridge to be laterally slid in North America. In addition, B&N is ranked 8th nationally on the Roads & Bridges Magazine Go-To List of Top Bridge Design Firms.
Services
- New Design
- Aesthetics
- Plan Review
- Rehabilitation
- Load Rating
Ideas in Motion
B&N is part of the design/build team that proposed and implemented a truss sliding solution for the Milton-Madison Bridge Replacement project. This innovative technique significantly minimized bridge closures and lowered estimated project costs. Learn more
Load Rating
From small county structures to complex spans, B&N’s load rating experience covers an extensive range of bridge types and lengths. Tapping our bridge design and inspection expertise, our engineers have completed thousands of load ratings across the United States. We are familiar with multiple state load rating guidelines and have completed systemwide programs for Departments of Transportation.
Our engineers are well versed in finite element analysis and numerous finite element software packages, including:
- MIDAS
- STAAD
- LUSAS
- VIRTIS/BrR
- BARS
Ideas in Motion
The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the highest vehicular bridges in the United States and the longest steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere. Following six years of conducting an annual bridge inspection of this massive structure, the West Virginia Department of Transportation selected B&N to perform and update load rating and design repairs for select structural steel members. Watch a video of B&N’s team inspecting the New River Gorge Bridge.