There is a need to effectively train the concrete bridge workforce on state-of-the-art standardized details and procedures and the latest emerging technologies.  The identified need represents advancing the current state of practice and also serving the need to fill skilled positions in the workforce due to several factors including sector growth and personnel leaving the workforce.  It also includes efforts to evaluate and extend the service life of aging infrastructure.  The goal is to train personnel with hands-on intensive programs to ensure the proper initial construction using proven and standardized details and materials.  The use of inferior details, materials, or construction practices can lead to reducing the service life of concrete bridges resulting in unanticipated maintenance and/or replacement. Maintenance, repair, and replacement costs due to such deficiencies as poor post-tensioning grouting, initial construction defects, premature deck degradation, and unexpected cracking/reinforcement corrosion, and alkali-silica reaction (ASR), delayed ettringite formation (DEF) can represent significant costs. Strategies toward achieving, and extending, the expected service of bridges include study and research toward establishing the best engineering standards and construction materials, training to and inspecting to those practices, and introducing innovative technologies in an effective and proactive way.  This is valid for both the initial construction as well as the subsequent operation, maintenance and repair inclusive of inspection techniques.  Within this larger scope, three initial needs have been targeted in this pooled fund: (1) Inspection of Concrete Bridge Deck Construction (2) Concrete Materials for Bridges, and (3) Post-tensioning Academy.  The Concrete Bridge Engineering Institute (CBEI) is seeking to initially develop these three areas.  It will provide workforce training to facilitate technology transfer of state-of-the-art engineering standards, practices, and materials and provide research and development resources where those are not already defined.  The resources and infrastructure for the initial programs at CBEI represent a unique national facility for this scope.  CBEI is the center of concrete bridge related research, education, and training at the University of Texas at Austin in the Cockrell School of Engineering. CBEI’s mission is to serve the concrete bridge community and profession on the most pressing issues encountered in concrete bridges across the nation.

The overall objective of this pooled fund is to implement specific programs within CBEI that address national workforce training needs through research, development, and technology transfer activities. 

The specific objectives are to develop and implement the following programs with coordinated input of members of the pooled fund: Three initial specific training programs, a Concrete Solutions Center, and a Bridge Component Collection.  The scope of each is further defined below. 

The technology transfer through training programs will draw on the latest technologies and provide an innovative approach by utilizing a hands-on intensive curriculum.  The training programs will draw from the best, and most current, state of the art methods.  CBEI will serve to continually gather emerging or underutilized technologies such as those above, and provide research, development, and technology transfer activities in partnership with the originators of the technology.  This will result in training curricula and technology transfer documents for the concrete bridge workforce.  Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques will be an overarching component included in each of the programs.  

This solicitation will create a consortium of states that fund the Concrete Bridge Engineering Institute (CBEI).  The scope within this pooled fund includes the resources to create and operate the components of CBEI and member benefits listed below:            

• Training Seats:

        o Deck Construction Inspection Program to meet the need of ensuring proper initial construction of concrete bridge decks utilizing full-scale hands-on components. Bridge deck construction techniques utilizing precast deck panels and associated technologies will be included in this program. 

        o Concrete Materials for Bridges Program to provide guidance on the proper selection and use of constituent materials to improve the service life of concrete bridges, sustainability of concrete construction, and provide hands-on examples of what happens when these are not considered. 

        o Post-tensioning (PT) Laboratory (aka PT Academy) to provide hands-on training for inspectors and field installers as well as test and evaluate promising post-tensioning technologies. 

• Concrete Solutions Center: Members are provided support through the CBEI Concrete Solutions Center including direct technical support, webinars, and custom workshops.  Identified emerging technologies will be further evaluated through this program and new training programs and draft documentation developed to foster successful implementation.  

• Bridge Component Collection: Member support will help fund the growth and development of the full-scale Bridge Component Collection.  The Concrete Bridge Component Collection at CBEI contains full scale specimens from decommissioned bridges as well as from previous research projects.  The components include segmental bridge components, precast girders, bent caps, and specimens exhibiting concrete deficiencies such as alkali-silica reaction (ASR).   This resource will be used for training and technology testing and can serve specific needs of a member with consensus of the Technical Advisory Committee.    

• CBEI will engage partners such as industry groups and will seek to complement existing training and resources. CBEI will draw on existing resources at the University, such as other Centers and departments and will also engage other subject matter experts and resources outside of the University.  

The lead agency is the Texas Department of Transportation.  The annual contributions from each member are available in a tiered system over a four-year period:

• Tier 1: $50,000
• Tier 2: $30,000
• Tier 3: $20,000

The work associated with the study is anticipated to begin in 2022 and continue through 2026.  The courses will be rolled out in a phased approach as they become available.  The lead agency will apply for a 100% SPR Part B waiver.