Collaborative Framework to Create a Culvert Asset Management System for NMDOT

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Abstract

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is developing an asset management program for small culverts, which are not required to be included in biennial bridge inspections and can lead to catastrophic road failures if unmaintained. Aside from a partial statewide inventory in 2004, culverts in New Mexico have not been comprehensively inspected nor had their condition assessed. The NMDOT initiated a culvert asset management program (CAMP) in 2021 to create an inventory of the state’s projected 70,000 culverts, which will be regularly updated and used statewide to prioritize and plan maintenance and improve road safety. Student interns from New Mexico Tech (NMT) and New Mexico State University (NMSU) completed the first of six seasons of CAMP inspections in the summer of 2021. This paper will review the data collected by NMT and make suggestions for future work. Researchers used Trimble devices with Terraflex GIS software to compile GPS points and photos for each culvert, along with entries for size, material, and condition. The condition was recorded by visual inspection, describing corrosion, concrete spalling and cracking, other structural damage, and blockage of flow by silting or other means. Researchers examined data for completeness and accuracy by comparing photos with reported data and holding team discussions to improve uniformity at weekly QA/QC meetings. Five teams from NMT surveyed 8,502 culverts, averaging 53 culverts per team per day. A total of 1,480 (17%) may warrant immediate intervention (e.g., severe corrosion, spalling, or silting). This paper summarizes the contributions of CAMP from NMT, makes suggestions for improved survey efficiency, and assesses the program’s utility in future applications. This research proposes a methodology that can be utilized by other entities for culvert asset management and produces a valuable database for further analyses.

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