UNDERWATER INSPECTION OF

BRIDGES ILLUSTRATED WITH

CASE STUDY

Presented By, Under the Guidance of

Manjunatha B C.B.SRINIVAS REDDY
3VC06CV009 Asst.proffesor, Civil Engg. Dept.
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

FACTOS AFFECTING

METHODS

LEVELS

PROCEDURES

CASE STUDY

CONCLUSION

REFERENCE
WHY UNDER-WATER INSPECTION?

• TO ENSURE SAFE CONDITION

OF SUB-STRUCTURE DURING
THE COURSE OF ITS LIFE.

•TO DETECT ANY DISTRESSED

CONDITION OF SUB-STRUCTURE
OUT LIVED OR PRE-MATURE

•TO PREVENT ANY POSSIBLE

MISHAP DUE TO STRUCTURE
FAILURE BY TIMELY ACTION
 WHERE UNDER-WATER INSPECTION IS ESSENTIAL?

•IT IS REQUIRED TO CHECK THE SUBSTRUCTURE OF ALL

BRIDGES OVER PERENNIAL RIVERS &BACKWATERS.

• ON BRIDGES WHERE SUBSTRUCTURE CANNOT BE

INSPECTED DUE TO SUBMERGING UNDER WATER
WHAT SHALL BE INSPECTED IN UW INSPECTION?

•CAVITY IN MASONRY /CONCRETE

•JOINTS IN MASONRY /CONCRETE
•LOOSE/ MISSING STONE/BRICKS IN MASONRY
•WEATHERING OF MASONRY
•EXPOSURE OF REINFORCEMENT
WHAT SHALL BE INSPECTED IN UW INSPECTION?
(CONTD)

 RUST STAINING, CRACKING, SPALLING,

ABRASION, DISINTEGRATION IN
CONCRETE STRUCTURES
 BULGING IN SUB STRUCTURE
 STEEL WORKS
--CI PIPES
-- STEEL CAISSONS
-- SCREW PILES
Anerobic Bacterial Growth
Scaling of concrete
Spalling of concrete
Disintegration of concrete
Deep Cavitation
 WHO WILL DO UNDER-WATER INSPECTION?

• ONLY WELL TRAINED PERSONNEL

•PRACTICAL PROBLEM IS THAT IN MAJORITY OF THE
CASES ONLY EXPERT DIVERS ARE USED BUT THEY
WILL NOT HAVE ANY EXPERTISE IN CIVIL/ BRIDGE ENGG.

WHAT IS LAID DOWN IN OUR CODES ON THIS TOPIC?

•CODES INCLUDING IRBM’98 IS SAILENT ABOUT THIS ASPECT

•AFTER TRAGIC KADALUNDI ACCIDENT, BASED ON CCRS
RECOMMENDATIONS, RDSO HAS BROUGHT OUT BS-40
GUIDE LINES FOR UNDERWATER INSPECTION OF BRIDGES
DURING THE YEAR 2001.
 WHEN TO CONDUCT UNDERWATER INSPECTION?

•BS-40 SUGGESTS DURING THE PERIOD OF LOW WATER

OR LOW POLLUTION LEVELS OR GOOD VISIBILITY (UNDER)

• 20% OF UNDERWATER UNITS FOR EACH BRIDGE

SELECTED RANDOMLY SHOULD BE INSPECTED. THE
RANDOM INSPECTION SHOULD BE MADE IN SUCH A
WAY THAT ENTIRE STRUCTURE IS COVERED IN 5
YEARS
 METHODS OF PERFORMING UNDER-WATER
INSPECTION

1.WADING INSPECTION – BASIC, REGULAR METHID OF

INSPECTION – PROBING/SOUNDING ROD

2.SCUBA -SELF CONTAINED UNDERWATER

BREATHING APPRATUS
3. SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR DIVING OR MIXED GAS DIVING
4.DEEP SEA DIVING – NOT USED FOR BRIDGE INSPECTION

SCUBA DIVING
•SCUBA DIVER IS PROVIDED WITH PORTABLE AIR SUPPLY
& IS CONNECTED TO SURFACE THROUGH AN UMBILICAL
CABLE
•MIN.EQUIPMENT ARE SCUBA, LIFE PRESERVER,WEIGHT
BELT, KNIFE,FACE MASK AND SWIM FINS
……. CONTD SCUBA DIVING)
•IS SUITED WHEN MANY DIVES OF SHORT DURATION
ARE NEEDED & MOBILITY IS THE PRIME CONSIDERATION
•MERITS ARE RAPID DEPLOYMENT, PORTABILITY, MIN.
SUPPORT AND EXCELLENT MOBILITY
•DEMERITS ARE DEPTH LIMITATION, MIN.AIR SUPPLY
LACK OF VOICE COMMUNICATION FROM SURFACE
•MAX. SUSTAINED TIME AND DEPTH IS ONE HOUR @18 M

•DIVING TEAM SHOULD HAVE 3 MEN & BOAT IS REQUIRED

 SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR DIVING

 AIR IS SUPPLIED TO THE DIVER THROUGH

UMBILICIL HOSES, CONNECTED TO THE
SURFACE AIR COMPRESSOR TANK
 COMMUNICATION CABLE, LIFE LINE,
PNEUMATIC FATHOMETER ARE ATTACHED TO
THE DIVER
 SUITED FOR IN ADVERSE CONDITION – HIGH
STREAM VELOCITY, POLLUTED/TURBID WATER
AND LONG DURATION/DETAILED INSPECTION
 UNLIMITED AIR SUPPLY
 SUSTAINED TIME – 60 MINUTES AT 18m DEPTH
• IS 10291-1982 LAID DOWN
– QUALIFICATION OF DIVERS AND SUPERVISORS
– SAFEGUARDS FOR THEIR WORKING

SAFEGUARDS FOR THEIR WORKING

• MINIMUM AGE 18 YEARS
• FITNESS BY DOCTOR IN LAST SIX MONTHS
• FITNESS TESTED FOR WORK AT REQUIRED DEPTH
OR EQUIVALENT PRESSURE IN COMPRESSION
CHAMBER
• KNOWLEDGE OF DIVING SIGNALS
• TRAINED FOR WORK IN NO VISIBILITY
CONDITIONS AND 0.6M DEPTH OF MUD AND
CONDUCT SEARCH ETC.
……. CONTD SCUBA DIVING & SAFE GUARDS FOR DIVERS)
• GOOD PHISIQUE,CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING STRAIN
• FREE FROM CARDIAC PROBLEM
• FREE FROM MID EAR PROBLEM ETC
• NOT ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL AND EXCESS SMOKING
• MORE THAN 45 YEARS NOT BE EMPLOYED FOR DEEP
DIVING
• SELECT AGE >30YEARS FOR TRAINING
• DIVERS DRESS,HELMET,COMPRESSED AIR AND
ACCESSORIES
• STANDARD EQUIPMENTS
TOOLS REQUIRED
• VIDEO CAMERAS /CLOSE CIRCUIT TV CAMERAS AND TV
MONITOR
• TELEMETRY LINK TO OPERATE CAMERA
• COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH AMPLIFIER AND LOUD
SPEAKERS ETC
• UNDERWATER LAMP/HEAD LAMP
 TYPES OF INSPECTION AND INTENSITY
LEVELS

 LEVEL I-VISUAL,TACTILE INSPECTION(ROUTINE INSPECTION)

 LEVEL II-DETAILED INSPECTION WITH PARTIAL CLEANING
 LEVEL III-HIGHLY DETAILED INSPECTION WITH NDT

LEVEL I-INSPECTION
 GENERAL VISUAL ROUTINE INSPECTION
 COVERED OVER EXTERIOR SURFACE
 PROBING OVER SUBSTRUCTURE AND STREAMBED
 TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR LEVEL II/III INSPECTION
 TYPES OF INSPECTION (Contd..)

LEVEL II INSPECTION
 TO BE CONDUCTED BASED ON REPORT OF LEVEL I
INSPECTION
 NEEDS CLEANING OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENT
 DETAILED INVESTIGATION OF SELECTED COMPONENTS
 ATLEAST 20% OF ALL UNDERWATER ELEMENTS TO BE
COVERED
 SIMPLE INSTRUMENTS –CALIPPERSE AND SCALE TO
IDENTIFY EXTENT AND SEVERITY OF DAMAGE
 TYPES OF INSPECTION (Contd..)

LEVEL III INSPECTION

 HIGHLY DETAILED INSPECTION OF A CRITICAL
STRUCTURE OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENT

 INCLUDES EXTENSIVE CLEANING, DETAILED

MEASUREMENT

 SELECTED NDT/PARTIALLY DISTRUCTIVE TESTING

SUCH AS ULTRASONIC, SAMPLE CORING, IN-SITU
HARDNESS TESTING Etc..

 REQUIRES MORE EXPERINCE AND TRAINING

 UNDERWATER INSPECTION PROCEDURE

 INTIAL INSPECTION REQUIRES CAREFUL

PLANNING
 PRIOR SITE SURVEY FOR SELECTION OF
INSPECTION METHODS, TYPE AND
INTENSITY LEVEL, EQUIPEMENT REQUIRED
 REVIEW OF AVAILABLE RECORDS AND
PAST HISTORY
 AVAILABILITY OF TOOLS AND PLANTS
 ABILITY/QUALIFICATION OF DIVING TEAM
 SCOUR INVESTIGATION
 INSPECTION OF SUB STRUCTURE
 PROCEDURE OF UNDER-WATER INSPECTION BY DIVERS
LIST &CHECK THE WORKING OF ALL TOOLS &EQUIPMENT
•BOATS & LIFE PRESERVERS AS REQUIRED
•CAMERAS
•INSPECTION DOCUMENTS, PAPER,CLIP BOARD &PENCILS
•CONCRETE OR STEEL TOOL KIT AS APPLICABLE
•SOUNDING EQUIPMENT &MARKING PENCILS(FOR SCOUR)
•SAFETY EQUIPMENT(ROPES, BUOYS&MANNED SAFETY BOAT)
PROCEDURE FOR CHECKING PIERS FORMED OF PILES
•TWO DIVERS TO INSPECT SAME PILE.
•IF VISIBILITY IS POOR, PUT LIGHT CLOSE AND INSPECT
DIFFERENT FACES AND TURN LATER TO UNINSPECTED SIDE
PROCEDURE FOR CONCRETE PIERS
•INSPECT CONDITION OF CONCRETE. TAKE PHOTOS AS REQD
•MEASURE DIMENSIONS OF SPALLS &RECORD LOCATION
•INSPECT CRACKS AND MEASURE SIZE, LENGTH&LOCATION
DOCUMENTAION OF THE RESULTS OF U/W INSPECTION
•RECORD THE RESULTS OF UNDER-WATER INSPECTION
IN THE PROFORMA PRESCIBED IN ANNEXURE-II,III&IV OF
BS-40 “GUIDE LINES FOR U/W INSPECTION ISSUED BY RDSO
ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON RESULTS OF U/W INSPECTION
•MINOR DEFECTS– SUCH AS CRACKS
-AQUA RESINS FOR GROUTING REPLACING WATER
–CRACK >6mm sand with grouting resins
–SPECIAL GROUTING EQUIPMENTS
SPALLING OF CONCRETE
• PREPARATION OF SURFACE BY WATER JET AT
HIGH PRESSURE
• APPLYING THICK COAT OF EPOXY RESIN ON THE
PREPARED SURFACE FOR BONDING
• EPOXY MORTAR
 REPAIR TECHNIQUES
FOR CONCRETE PILES
• JACKETING BY SHOTCRETE/GUNITE LAYER OF
75MM THICKNESS OR SO
• SHOTCRETE RING IS PREPARED ABOVE LOW
WATER LEVEL AND LOWERED UPTO BOTTOM
• ANNULAR SPACE IS SUBSEQUENTLY GROUTED
WITH MORTAR DISPLACING WATER

REPAIR BY UNDERWATER CONCRETING

• TREMIE CONCRETE
• BOTTOM OPENING SKIP BOX
• BAGGED CONCRETE
• GROUT INJECTION OF PREPLACED AGGREGATE
CASE STUDY OF Br. No.1201 ON SRR-MAQ S.Rly SECTION ON
BRIDGE No.1201 AT Km.837/100-500 ON DOWN LINE
ON RIVER PYSAVALI WITH SPAN 3 x 30.48+ 18 x 15.24

SUPER STRUCTURE – RIVETTED STEEL GIRDERS PLATE

•1ST 3 SPANS ARE 100’ON RIVETTED UNDERSLUNG GIRDERS

• NEXT 18 SPANS ARE 40’ RIVETTTED PLATE GIRDERS
BEARINGS- 1ST 3 SPANS – ROCKER & ROLLER TYPE
REST ALL – CENTRALLY ARTICULATED
SUB-STRUCTURE
PIERS 1,2,3, 5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19 & A1 AND A2 ON CR MASONRY
PIERS REST 4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18 AND 20 ARE MASS CONCRETE
 FOUNDATION

WELL FOUNDATION WITH TWIN CIRCULAR MASONRY WELL

HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE

1.BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1906 AS 12 X 30.48 M UNDER SLUNG

RIVETTED PLATE STEEL GIRDER BRIDGE ON ROCKER AND
ROLLER BEARINGS, ON CRS MASONRY PIERS WITH STONE
MASONRY TWIN CIRCULAR WELLS
2. DURING 1960-1970, THOUGH CLEAR RECORDS ARE NOT
AVAILABLE, 9 SPANS FROM 4TH TO 12TH ARE DIVIDED AS
2 EACH MAKING BRIDGE AS 3x 30.48+18x 15.24 WITH 18
SPANS WITH RIVETTED PLATE GIRDERS BY
PROVIDING 9 ADDITIONAL MASS CONCRETE PIERS ON
CR MASONRY TWIN CIRCULAR WELL FOUNDATION
OBSERVATIONS PRIOR TO IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM ON Br1201

•FREQUENT ATTENTION TO CROSS-LEVEL NEAR P4

•(Right Rail low)
• FREQUENT MIS-ALIGNMENT ON-TO ONE SIDE
• NON-RETENTION OF RECTIFIED CROSS-LEVEL & ALIGNMENT
ACTION TAKEN ON THE OBSERVATIONS

• INITIALLY FORTNIGHTLY THEN WEEKLY RECORDING OF

PARAMETERS DONE. ON GETTING PROGRESSIVE CHANGE
UNDER- WATER INSPECTION WAS ORDERED

• ON 20.02.2002 DIVERS INSPECTED THE SUB-STRUCTURE

& REPORTED THAT RH WELL STEINING OF P4 HAS A CAVITY
1.25 x 0.75 x 0.50 SIZE ON EAST SIDE JUST BELOW WELL CAP
 CONFIRMATION OF PROBLEM (IN MARCH-APRIL2002)

•SUBSEQUENT TO THE REPORT BY DEPARTMENTAL DIVERS

EXPERT FROM CBE/O/MAS, SSE/BR &DIVER WAS CALLED
AND CAVITY AND ITS SIZE WAS GOT CONFIRMED.
PROGRAM FOR RECTIFICATION OF THE CAVITY
•BASED ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM CBE (HQ), DIVISION HAS
CALLED TENDER FOR MICRO CONCRETING WORK UNDER
WATER AND FIXED UP AN AGENCY BY 12.03.2003
•M/S DYANSOURE TREATMENT, MUMBAI IS THE AGENCY

•MICRO CONCERETING WITH ANTI-WAHSABLE, ANTI-

SHRINKABLE PROPERTY USING RENDEROC UW OF FOSROC
MAKE WAS ORDERED IN THE AGREEMENT ALONG WITH
VIDEOGRAPHY OF UNDER WATER WORK
 TECHNICAL DETAILS OF MICRO-CONCRETING
•RENDEROC UW(UW STANDS FOR UNDER WATER) OF
FOSROC MAKE IS A READY TO USE DRY POWDER, A
MIXTURE OF PROCESSED CEMENT WITH ADDITIVES AND
FINE AGGREGATES, WHICH IMPART IT CONTOLLED
EXPANSION,WATER REDUCTION AND NON-WASHABLE
PROPERTIES. THIS IS PACKED IN25 kg BAGS AND DOSAGE
PER YIELD IS 14.5 LITRES PER 25 KG AT W/P 0.22
•MICRO CONCRETE IS EXPECTED TO GIVE A CRUSHING
STRENGTH OF 30 N/MM2 AFTER 7 DAYS
RENDEROC UW CAN BE USED IN ONE POUR FOR THICKNESS
UPTO 150 MM. FOR MORE, STONE AGGREGATE OF 2 TO 10 MM
GRADED SHALL BE USED AT 1:1 RATIO
•5.5 LITRES OF WATER IS TO BE ADDED FOR 25 KG BAG OF
RENDEROC UW.& CONCRETE MIXER TO BE USED FOR MIX
•RENDEROC PLUG IS THE PRODUCT USED TO SEAL JOINTS
AGENCY’S INPUTS FOR MICRO CONCRETING

MANPOWER FROM CONTRACTOR’S SIDE

•ONE CIVIL ENGINERING GRADUATE AS SITE ENGINEER
•ONE DIVER MATE (EX-NAVY) FOR MONITORING DIVING
•ONE EXPERT DIVER, 2 DIVERS & 1 ASST. DIVER
•APART FROM ABOVE, 1 BOAT AND 12 MEN ENGAGED AS
AND WHEN NEEDED FOR CONCRETING LOCALLY
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT USED BY CONTRACTOR
•AIR COMPRESSOR & DIESEL GENERATOR ALOGN WITH
3 DIVING EQUIPMENT
•VIDEO CAMERA FOR USING UNDER WATER, RECORDER
WITH DISPLAY UNIT
MATERIALS USED FOR THE WORK
160 NO.S OF 25 KG RENDEROC UW BAGS, 20 NO.S OF PLUG
IN 5 KG BAGS, 200 No.S 25 KG 6MM AGGREGATE BAGS ETC
 MODUS OPERANDI OF MICRO CONCRETING

•PHASE-1-INITIAL INSPECTION AND VIDEO RECORDING

•PHASE-2-CLEANING AND PREPARATION OF SURFACE
•PHASE-3 – ASSESSMENT OF QUANTITY
•PHASE-4 – SHUTTERING / FIXATION OF FORM WORK
•PHASE – 5 – MICRO CONCRETING
•SAND BAGS WERE USED TO SUPPORT SHUTTERING
•MS ANGLES AND TIES WERE USED TO SUPPORT GI SHUTTER
•JOINT BETWEEN SHUTTER SHEET AND STRUCTURE WAS
SEALED WITH RENDEROC PLUG
•TREMIE WAS MANUFACTURED WITH PLASTIC HOSE PIPE
FOR POURING CONCRETE INTO CAVITY. COMPACTION WAS
DONE USING RODS. DIVERS ENSURED PROPER PLACEMENT
• CONCRETING COMPLETED IN 3 DAYS
 EXPERIENCES AND SUGGESTIONS
•RENDEROC UW IS GOOD FOR UNDERWATER CONCRETING

•DIVERS WERE GOOD IN DIVING JOB BUT THEY HAVE VERY

LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF CIVIL/BRIDGE ENGINEERING
•SHUTTERING /POURING TECHNIQUES USED BY THE FIRM
ARE NOT VERY SATISFACTORY & TO BE UPGRADED
•VIDEO RECORDING IS NOT ABLE TO THROW LIGHT FOR
THE PURPOE, IT IS INTENDED. LOCATIONS SHALL BE
GIVEN WITH METAL STRIP LIKE IDENTIFICATION MARKS
•AN ACTUAL 7 DAY CRUSHING STRENGTH OF 44 M/MM2
WAS ACTUALLY ACHIEVED AGAINST ANTICIPATED 30 N
•COST CAN BE BROUGHT DOWN WITH WIDE USE OF THESE
PRODUCTS.
•PERFORMANCE TILL DATE IS SATISFACTORY.
 CONCLUSIONS

 SYSTEMATIC AND SCIENTIFIC UNDERWARTER

BRIDGE INSPECTION ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN
BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT
 THE SIGNIFICINT DAMAGE ENCOUNTER TO THE
BRIDGE CAN BE AVOIDED BY CARRYING OUT
UNDERWATER INSPECTION IN TIME
 List of underwater inspection agencies

 1. M/s Infrastructure 1211, 12th Street, dresser@infrastru

Engineers inc. St.Cloud FL 34769, cureengineers.com,USA.
Ph – 407-957-1650
 2. M/s Marine 5030 Old Kings MescoDive@aol.com
Engineering Road NW,System Co.Inc Jacksonville,FL32254 USA.
 3. M/s Mainstream 322 C, C.Lowry info@mainstre
Commercial Drive, P.O.Box amdivers.comDivers Inc. No.1426, Murray
K.Y.42071, USA,Ph 270-753-9654
 4. M/s W J Castle P.O.Box 586, bcastle@wjca & Associates Lumberton NJ
stlegroup.com
08048, USAPh-609-261-2268 Fax-609-261-3422
Thank you