Bridge Planning, Design and Rehabilitation

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Apply the requirements of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) to bridge design, evaluation, and rehabilitation projects.
• Analyze bridge loads, structural behaviour, and critical design considerations for concrete and steel bridge systems.
• Assess the condition, performance, and serviceability of existing bridges to support maintenance and rehabilitation decisions.
• Evaluate rehabilitation, strengthening, and replacement strategies for aging bridge infrastructure.
• Apply practical design and construction approaches to solve common bridge engineering challenges in real-world projects.

Description

Designing and maintaining safe, durable, and cost-effective bridge infrastructure requires a thorough understanding of structural behaviour, evolving design standards, construction methods, and asset management practices. Whether you are involved in new bridge design, bridge evaluation, or rehabilitation projects, you must balance technical requirements, constructability, long-term performance, and regulatory compliance throughout the project lifecycle.

This course provides practical guidance on modern highway bridge engineering, with a focus on the application of CHBDC requirements to real-world projects. You will examine bridge components, loading considerations, structural analysis approaches, foundation systems, seismic design principles, and current practices for concrete and steel bridge structures. The course also explores bridge evaluation techniques, rehabilitation strategies, accelerated bridge construction methods, and emerging technologies that support improved bridge performance and service life.

Through detailed worked examples, case studies, and practical design applications, you will strengthen your ability to address common bridge engineering challenges and make sound decisions throughout the planning, design, evaluation, rehabilitation, and construction phases of bridge projects.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for:

• Civil, structural, and transportation engineers
• Bridge design engineers and engineering technologists
• Bridge inspectors and asset management professionals
• Contractors involved in bridge construction and rehabilitation
• Project managers responsible for transportation infrastructure projects
• Consulting engineers working on bridge design, evaluation, or rehabilitation assignments
• Public sector professionals responsible for bridge infrastructure and transportation networks
• Early-career to senior practitioners seeking to strengthen applied bridge engineering knowledge

Day I - IV

Welcome, Introduction, Workshop Preview, Learning Outcomes and the Assessment Method

• Bridge Engineering Overview
• Bridge Main Components
• Loads (Loading Example)
• Short and Medium Span Bridges & Integral Deck System - Case Studies
• Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) technique – Case studies)
• Photos for Overpasses and Segmental Bridges
• Concrete Example: Precast Prestressed Concrete Girders – step-by-step design
• Prestressed Concrete Overview (optional)
• PP Presentation for Different Case Studies
• Theory of Spliced Concrete Girders
• Foundation and Geotechnical Systems (Substructure Example) – Step-by-step design
• Seismic Analysis and Design
• Steel Bridge Introduction
• Composite Construction Applications for Bridge Deck
• PP Presentation of a Case Study (Richelieu Bridge)
• Fracture Control and Fatigue
• Steel Bridge Example, including Bridge Deck Analysis – Step-by-step design
• Expansion Joints
• Material Defects
• Bridge Evaluation Example Step-by-step evaluation technique
• Fiber Reinforced Bridge Structures
• Bridge Rehabilitation vs. Replacement
• PMB presentation - Design/Build procurement construction method- Case Study
• PPP construction methods – application on bridge engineering
• Several Examples and Case Studies will be Presented

Questions and Answers and Feedback to Participants on Achievement of Learning Outcomes