Bridge Copilot is a design-build pursuit and preconstruction decision platform for bridge Alternative Technical Concepts (ATCs). It locks the owner's baseline, generates and combines alternatives, compares expected cost and P90 risk deltas, tracks constraints and validation needs, and packages defensible backup before proposal submission.
This page explains the pursuit workflow and the deterministic preliminary-engineering engine that supplies its geometry, quantities, cost estimates, risk analysis, checks, 3D models, and exports.
During a design-build pursuit, the team must decide which departures from the owner's baseline are valuable and defensible before price, contingency, and proposal narrative lock:
Bridge Copilot keeps the baseline, alternatives, cost and risk deltas, supporting assumptions, and review status in one shared workflow. Its deterministic AASHTO-aligned engine accelerates screening; qualified engineers and pursuit leaders remain responsible for validation and selection.
Step 1 — Capture and lock the owner baseline. Import or enter the RFP bridge concept, source documents, location, geometry, foundations, and cost assumptions. The locked baseline becomes the controlled reference for every ATC delta.
Step 2 — Generate candidate ATCs. Screen bridge and alignment changes such as girder efficiency, span rearrangement, pier elimination, structural-system changes, and applicable geometry alternatives.
Step 3 — Configure and combine alternatives. Apply selected ATCs to complete bridge variants while preserving a traceable link to the baseline and identifying conflicts between proposed changes.
Step 4 — Run preliminary engineering. Use deterministic geometry, girder selection, quantities, regional cost data, AASHTO-aligned checks, seismic inputs, and 3D visualization to create consistent engineering backup.
Step 5 — Compare cost and risk deltas. Compare each alternative with the owner's baseline using itemized expected cost, cost range, percentage savings, and Monte Carlo P90 exposure.
Step 6 — Document defensibility. Record assumptions, constructability and procurement constraints, fidelity, required investigations, next validation steps, and discipline review signoffs for the candidates that survive screening.
Step 7 — Select and package the pursuit concept. Track readiness against the proposal deadline, capture the decision rationale, and export the selected ATC with its engineering, cost-risk, assumptions, and validation backup.
| Bridge Copilot is... | Bridge Copilot is not... |
|---|---|
| A bridge ATC and design-build pursuit decision platform | A final design or load-rating tool |
| A controlled comparison of ATCs against the owner's baseline | A replacement for AASHTOWare, CSiBridge, or LARSA |
| A cost and P90 risk decision-support tool | An engineer's stamp or design certification |
| An AASHTO LRFD-aligned preliminary rules engine | A seismic or wind detailed analysis tool |
| A shared workflow for preconstruction, estimators, engineers, and pursuit leaders | A replacement for structural engineering judgment |
| Bridge Type | Typical Span Range | Sections / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Precast prestressed concrete wide-flange girder | 40–175 ft per span | WF36TDG – WF95TDG |
| Steel plate girder | 80–250 ft per span | Custom plate sizing |
| Multi-span continuous (precast or steel) | Up to 5 spans | Intermediate pier optimization included |
In-house DOT engineers use Bridge Copilot to prepare or check type study documents before committing to consultant procurement. Having a rapid independent estimate provides leverage in scoping consultant contracts and verifying that proposed alternatives are reasonable before approving scope.
Bridge design consultants use Bridge Copilot during proposal preparation to quickly produce preliminary cost estimates and identify constructability risks before a project is awarded. The tool also supports QC of junior engineers' type study work — a senior engineer can regenerate the analysis in minutes and compare results against the submitted package.
Program-level decision-makers use the Monte Carlo output for capital programming submissions. The P10–P50–P90 cost range provides the risk-based estimate format increasingly required by FHWA for major bridge projects. A single-point estimate no longer satisfies most risk-informed planning processes; Bridge Copilot produces the range by default.
Bridge Copilot produces Class D preliminary cost estimates consistent with AASHTO guide specifications for cost estimating. Expected accuracy is ±20–30% of final bid price at the time of estimate. Cost estimates do not include right-of-way, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, or construction management fees.
Bridge Copilot is a web-based SaaS application requiring no software installation. The backend engineering engine is built in Python and implements AASHTO LRFD rules deterministically — it does not use a large language model to make structural decisions. AI components are limited to design critique summarization and conversational assistance. All structural computations are rules-based and auditable.
The tool runs in any modern web browser. No download, no license server, no VPN. Project data is stored securely in a cloud database with per-user access controls.
No. Bridge Copilot automates the computational work in preliminary design but does not exercise professional engineering judgment. The engineer decides whether the generated alternatives are appropriate for the site, reviews the output critically, and stamps the final deliverable. The tool is intended to expand what one engineer can accomplish in a given time — not to eliminate engineering from the process.
Most engineers doing TS&L studies use a combination of personal spreadsheets, published span tables, and experience-based judgment. Bridge Copilot automates the same process with consistent rules, eliminates transcription errors, adds real-time 3D visualization, integrates seismic data retrieval, and outputs a formatted document — all in the same time it takes to set up a spreadsheet template.
Bridge Copilot applies regional cost adjustments by state and AASHTO LRFD as the base design standard. It does not currently implement state-specific design manuals (e.g., WSDOT, Caltrans, TxDOT supplements). Engineers should review output against their specific agency's standard details and specifications before submitting a type study.
The free trial includes access to the full design engine, three bridge project slots, and PDF/Excel export. The interactive sandbox at bridgecopilot.com/sandbox is always free and requires no account.
Bridge Copilot is free to try. No credit card required. The sandbox lets you run a complete bridge alternatives analysis on a sample project without signing up.
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