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Publication Number:  FHWA-HRT-21-037    Date:  May 2021
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-21-037
Date: May 2021

 

Statistical Analysis of Pavement Profiler Data to Evaluate the Bump at the End of the Bridge

PDF Version (4.32 MB)

FOREWORD

The bump at the end of the bridge (BEB) is one of the most prevalent factors impacting ride quality at a bridge's approach and departure and can be a safety hazard to motorists. Its causes, along with mitigation strategies, have been well researched, yet the BEB remains ubiquitous, leading to chronic maintenance activities. This report details the data collected from inertial pavement profilers used to quantify the BEB at numerous bridge approaches across the country. Many of the bridge approaches measured included Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil—Integrated Bridge Systems which were compared with bridge approach profiles for conventional abutment types. This report also presents statistical analyses of the profile data to evaluate the effects of different site and bridge structure characteristics on BEB magnitude and ride quality. This report may be useful for geotechnical, bridge, and pavement engineers, consultants, and contractors.

Cheryl Allen Richter, Ph.D., P.E.
Director, Office of Infrastructure
Research and Development

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

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