Bridge Copilot ™: Automated Bridge Design & Cost Estimation
Bridge Copilot ™ is a web-based bridge planning tool for structural engineers and state DOTs. It automates the core engineering computations in a Type, Size, and Location (TS&L) study — generating multiple preliminary bridge design alternatives, selecting optimal precast girder sections, producing itemized cost estimates, and running Monte Carlo risk analysis. A type study that takes a senior engineer 1–2 days manually takes Bridge Copilot ™ under 5 minutes.
Who Uses Bridge Copilot ™
- State DOT engineers preparing or reviewing bridge type studies before committing to PS&E
- Consulting structural engineers producing preliminary cost estimates for proposals and alternatives reports
- Project managers who need P10/P50/P90 cost ranges for capital programming submissions
Core Features
- Automated TS&L concept generation — three bridge alternatives (precast concrete and steel plate girder options) from span length, lane count, and location inputs
- AASHTO LRFD-aligned girder optimization — selects optimal WF section (WF36TDG–WF95TDG) and girder spacing for each span
- Itemized cost estimation — superstructure, substructure, deck, barriers, and mobilization with regional unit cost adjustments by state
- Monte Carlo risk analysis — 10,000 simulations producing P10, P50, and P90 cost ranges for capital programming
- USGS seismic hazard integration — retrieves site PGA, Ss, and S1 automatically from project coordinates
- AASHTO LRFD design critique — scored compliance findings for each generated alternative
- Real-time 3D visualization — interactive bridge model updating live as parameters change
- Export to PDF, Excel, DXF, and IFC — formatted type study package ready for agency submittal
How It Works
Enter your bridge location, total crossing length in feet, and number of traffic lanes. Bridge Copilot ™ retrieves seismic hazard data, applies AASHTO LRFD span-to-depth heuristics, selects girder sections from the standard WF library, calculates construction costs by component, and runs Monte Carlo simulation — all automatically. Compare three alternatives side-by-side, then export a complete TS&L package.
Bridge Copilot ™ is not a final design tool. It operates at the preliminary alternatives phase that precedes detailed design in AASHTOWare, CSiBridge, or LARSA. It produces Class D cost estimates (±20–30%) suitable for alternatives screening and capital budget programming.
Supported Bridge Types
- Precast prestressed concrete wide-flange girder bridges (40–175 ft spans, WF36TDG–WF95TDG)
- Steel plate girder bridges (80–250 ft spans)
- Multi-span continuous configurations (up to 5 spans)
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