Assessment of Major Bridges Along Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe State Highway, Northern Central, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerian road infrastructure is in a despicable condition most especially the culverts and the bridges across the Country and majority of the bridges constructed on Nigerian highways are girder bridges. Most of the infrastructure are decaying, overstretched and aged, all attributed to poor maintenance of the transport infrastructure. Bridges are essential components of national growth which enables the movement of goods and services across inter-states, regions and beyond national boundaries. The current structural integrity of these girder bridges is either not documented or documentation is unavailable to the general public. This research looked at the current status of girder bridges along the Keffi/Uke - Gombe highway with the objective of building a database on the structural status of the existing bridges and its components. The inspection team documented and graded any concerns and proffered solutions to guide the authorities in deciding repair and rehabilitation requirements where deemed necessary. Visual Inspection Method (VIM) and the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) were the methods used for data collection on the condition of bridges along the route. The data from the inspection carried out indicated the absence of any kind of maintenance, repair or rehabilitation by qualified professionals on most of the existing bridges along the route. However, it was observed that the Dindima and Gwaram Bridges need immediate preventive rehabilitation while the Kwadon / Liji /Kurba Bridge has failed due to poor design and should be reconstructed.

Keywords: Girder bridge, Visual inspection, Transport infrastructure, Highway maintenance

DOI: 10.7176/CER/11-8-02

Publication date:September 30^th 2019