The Steel Bridge Testing Program (SBTP) is a multi-year, multi-phased research program aimed at evaluating and improving nondestructive testing technologies capable of detecting surface and subsurface fatigue cracks in steel bridges. The state of fatigue cracks, both active and inactive, is of importance for retrofitting actions carried out by the bridge owner. The applicability of NDE technologies in a bridge environment and its accuracy in determining the state of the crack is one of the aspects studied under this program. Crack detection and crack growth monitoring technologies have been evaluated by performing in-depth laboratory testing (Phase I). The summary of results of the Phase I laboratory tests are presented in this paper.

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