The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently published the third edition of its “Manual for Bridge Element Inspection” – a reference for standardized element definitions, element quantity calculations, condition state definitions, element feasible actions, and inspection conventions for bridge structures.
[Above image by AASHTO]
AASHTO said the goal of the new manual is to capture the condition of bridges in a simple, effective way that can be standardized nationwide – all while providing enough flexibility to be adapted by both large and small agencies.
This third edition – which supersedes the second edition, published in 2019 – includes suggested changes by numerous inspecting agencies, consultant inspection firms, and training instructors, and attempts to cover most bridge elements found on highway bridges in the United States.
The new edition incorporates improvements to several elements and defects to provide clarity, consistency, and the perspective of asset management. Based on a research program sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, titled “Guide for Field Inspection of In-service FRP Reinforced/Strengthened Concrete Bridge Element,” the manual also addresses the needs of newer bridge construction materials, such as the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer to improve structural strength.
To order a copy of the new manual, click here or visit the online AASHTO Store at store.transportation.org and search by the Item Code MBEI-3.
AASHTO
AASHTO Issues 4th ‘Manual for Bridge Evaluation’ Edition
October 23, 2026
AASHTO
