This paper presents the development of an Expert System for the rating and analysis of existing prestressed concrete bridges. Knowledge-based expert systems provide effective means of solving engineering and management problems concerned with bridge classification and rating. The performance level of the expert system depends on the experience of the human expert who built it. The ratings considered are bridge capacity ratings or strength ratings. They include flexural and shear capacity ratings of supporting elements. The ultimate flexural strength and shear strength of the beams and girders are regarded to determine the desired rating. The parameters considered were bridge type, dead loads, type of vehicle loading, bridge dimensions and cross section, material properties, reinforcement details, and existing physical condition of the bridge. The outcome of the study was promising as it revealed that through its runtime rule controller, user interface, and linkage mechanisms, the BRES is a friendly user system for rating existing bridges. In addition, the BRES provides an error free process that the user can depend on.

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