Multipurpose training facility would enhance course offerings for professionals and students

When Rob Connor proposed the idea of the Steel Bridge Research, Inspection, Training and Engineering (S-BRITE) Center at Purdue, he envisioned an outdoor laboratory where out-of-service steel bridges and bridge components would be collected in one place. The 20-acre Center for Aging Infrastructure (CAI) opened southwest of the Purdue Airport in 2011, with S-BRITE as its first resident center. Construction of Phase I was completed in December 2014.

Connor, the Jack and Kay Hockema Professor of Civil Engineering and director of CAI and S-BRITE, estimates that more than 3,000 professional engineers and inspectors from around the country have visited the center to participate in training courses over the past decade. In addition, hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students within Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering have used the CAI as part of their courses. The S-BRITE Center’s bridge component gallery boasts multiple full-span bridges and a number of sections taken from service along with individual components that feature a host of common and uncommon details used in steel bridge design and construction.

“I once had a team leader from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tell me that by spending two hours at S-BRITE, a person could see more examples of steel bridge construction and damage than they would after 20 years in the field,” Connor said. “Nothing else like this exists in the world. It’s the only physical collection of steel bridges and bridge components available for hands-on training, research and education.”

Now, Connor is planning for the CAI’s next giant leap — building a multipurpose training and research facility at the site that would include teaching and laboratory space along with restrooms. An educational space would facilitate classroom learning and provide direct access to the bridge gallery. The Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering is conducting a feasibility study for the project.

“The S-BRITE Center grew out of a need for the Indiana Department of Transportation to provide more advanced and specialized training for its workforce,” Connor said. “That led to conversations with the Federal Highway Administration about the unique training opportunities we could offer. In addition to INDOT and the FHWA, we also have partnerships with 16 states and the Army Corps of Engineers.”

Rob Connor, the Jack and Kay Hockema Professor of Civil Engineering (at right), with Myriam Sarment, PhD researcher; Tom Welch, graduate student and research engineer; Chandan Kanakamedala (MS CE’21), PhD candidate; Charles Kieffer, PhD student and research associate for S-BRITE; and Aurora Ebert, PhD student; at the S-BRITE Center.

While the current focus of S-BRITE is on steel bridges, ample space remains to add concrete, timber and other bridge components to the site to enhance the training environment. The construction engineering program and Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program already use the CAI as part of their existing building construction programs. With the support of regional and national partners, Connor sees potential for Purdue to become the first university in the United States to offer an undergraduate and graduate program focused in bridge engineering.

“The U.S. claims to have one of the best infrastructures in the world, but the reality is, the industry can’t find enough bridge engineers to design, maintain and inspect bridges,” Connor said. “HVAC technicians complete 25-35 credits over three to four semesters of training. However, bridge inspectors, who oversee billions of dollars of life-critical infrastructure, are only required to complete a one- or two-week adult learning class. Individuals interested in a career in bridge engineering currently have no educational options. Many other countries offer such focused training at the university level. Purdue is poised to establish itself as the West Point for bridge engineering.”

According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s 2024 Bridge Report, 36% of all bridges — nearly 221,800 spans — require major repair work or replacement. Motorists cross structurally deficient bridges 168.5 million times every day.

“Our industry partners have recognized the importance of specialized steel bridge training offered through S-BRITE,” Connor said. “We’ve established Purdue’s credibility as the place to train the professional workforce. In parallel, we could be offering an undergraduate curriculum that would produce properly trained inspectors and engineers capable of designing the next generation of bridges that will serve society for the next 100 years. Expansion of the CAI is necessary to preserve our interstate systems — one of our nation’s most valuable assets not only in terms of direct value, but also in terms of ensuring economic and societal stability.”