About the Course
This online course introduces participants to bridge components, key bridge terminology, and fundamental concepts of bridge mechanics, such as loads and their effect on bridges. It is offered by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) via the TC3 course management system.
Participants will also be introduced to common bridge maintenance activities, including issues that initiate bridge maintenance, why they are important to address, and how they should be addressed. Additionally, participants will become familiar with restoration and rehabilitation activities that they may be involved with during the life of a bridge. The course concludes with a discussion of the various factors that a crew needs to consider prior to and during their activities, such as the environmental requirements surrounding the bridge, access methods, utility locations, and essential safety practices.
The course includes four modules:
- Introduction to Bridges
- How a Bridge Works
- Common Bridge Maintenance Activities
- Bridge Maintenance Considerations
Registration
To access the course, go to the course web page and register with your agency email address. Due to changes in the FHWA's contract with AASHTO, member pricing is no longer available.
For detailed instructions on how to create an AASHTO account and enroll in TC3 courses, check out this short how-to video.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Relate the role of maintenance to the life of an in-service bridge;
- Explain how loads, forces, and other factors impact a bridge structure;
- Relate maintenance activities to preserving the safety and structural integrity of a bridge; and
- Summarize the key environmental, utility, and safety considerations related to bridge maintenance activities.
Who Should Take This Course
The target audience for the course training includes state and local highway agency employees and consultants involved in the maintenance of bridges.
Accessing the Course
Upon completing your online registration, you will receive an email confirmation of your registration. To access the course, please visit the AASHTO Store website and log in with your account email and password. Once you have been enrolled, your course will appear on your account under My Trainings.
If for any reason you do not have access to the course after enrolling, please call 1-800-231-3475 or email [email protected] for assistance. The course ID code is TC3MN056-25-T1.
Credit
- 0.5 Roads Scholar Program Maintenance Certificate credit. To earn this credit, students are required to send a copy of the course completion certificate to [email protected].
- To the best of our knowledge, this course meets the continuing education requirements for 4.0 PDHs as outlined in Minnesota Statute 326.107. More information concerning continuing education for professionals is available on the Minnesota Board of AELSLAGID website.
More Information
For content- and registration-related questions, please contact AASHTO at 1-800-231-3475.