State, county and municipality bridge owners are replacing and need to replace many older and deteriorated bridges in their inventories.  A common concern they face is selecting economical bridge material, construction techniques and protection systems that will perform well throughout the bridge service life.  This presentation examines First Costs and Life Cycle Costs of typical concrete and steel girder type bridges.  First Costs analyses are based on actual bridge projects.  For Life Cycle Costs, historical life histories of simple and multi-span, short and medium span length, rolled-shape, plate-girder, precast box, and precast I-beam bridges were analyzed.  The results, comparisons and conclusions will give owners information on expected performance and investment costs of various bridge alternatives as they administer their bridge replacement programs.

Michael G. Barker, Ph.D. – Professor, Civil & Architectural Engineering at University of Wyoming