Date: |
07 May 2026, 5.30PM – 7.00PM |
duration: |
1 hr 30 mins |
Venue: |
WSP Christchurch |
Address: |
Level 4, 12 Moorhouse Avenue Christchurch |
Cost: |
Free event |
KiwiRail Bridge Inspections – Kyle Blyth.
Kyle will present an overview of KiwiRail’s bridge inspection processes and his experience in bridge asset management. The presentation will outline the current inspection methodology, which records condition and defects at a component level, and discuss the various inspection types used to manage structural risk. Kyle will also touch on how inspection data is used to assess overall bridge health across the network.
NZTA Operations and Maintenance Manual for Highway Structures – Jeremy Waldin.
Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency has been developing an Operations and Maintenance Manual for Highway Structures to complement the Highway Structures Design Guide, setting out requirements for the operation and maintenance of structures across the state highway network. While primarily focused on state highways, the manual also provides valuable guidance for road and rail structures managed by other authorities. This presentation will outline the scope and intent of the manual, including its application to existing structures, documentation and review requirements, regulatory and consenting considerations, operational and maintenance procedures, new inspection processes, and how the manual aligns with Waka Kotahi’s broader asset management framework.
Presenter Bios:
Kyle Blyth is a Structures Engineering Services Team Lead at KiwiRail, with over 11 years’ experience in bridge engineering and asset management in New Zealand. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer who is passionate about field work, collaboration, and innovative engineering solutions.
Jeremy Waldin is WSP’s Head of Bridges, Maritime and Structures and an internationally recognised leader in whole‑of‑life asset management and bridge engineering, with over 13 years’ leadership experience on NZ Transport Agency structures management contracts and deep expertise across bridge assessment, load effects, safety performance, monitoring, and earthquake and flood recovery.
Gain insight into how modern inspection practices and emerging standards are shaping the management of New Zealand’s bridge assets. This session brings together KiwiRail and WSP perspectives on inspection methodology, risk management, and whole-of-life asset performance for road and rail structures.
KiwiRail Bridge Inspections – Kyle Blyth.
Kyle will present an overview of KiwiRail’s bridge inspection processes and his experience in bridge asset management. The presentation will outline the current inspection methodology, which records condition and defects at a component level, and discuss the various inspection types used to manage structural risk. Kyle will also touch on how inspection data is used to assess overall bridge health across the network.
NZTA Operations and Maintenance Manual for Highway Structures – Jeremy Waldin.
Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency has been developing an Operations and Maintenance Manual for Highway Structures to complement the Highway Structures Design Guide, setting out requirements for the operation and maintenance of structures across the state highway network. While primarily focused on state highways, the manual also provides valuable guidance for road and rail structures managed by other authorities. This presentation will outline the scope and intent of the manual, including its application to existing structures, documentation and review requirements, regulatory and consenting considerations, operational and maintenance procedures, new inspection processes, and how the manual aligns with Waka Kotahi’s broader asset management framework.
Presenter Bios:
Kyle Blyth is a Structures Engineering Services Team Lead at KiwiRail, with over 11 years’ experience in bridge engineering and asset management in New Zealand. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer who is passionate about field work, collaboration, and innovative engineering solutions.
Jeremy Waldin is WSP’s Head of Bridges, Maritime and Structures and an internationally recognised leader in whole‑of‑life asset management and bridge engineering, with over 13 years’ leadership experience on NZ Transport Agency structures management contracts and deep expertise across bridge assessment, load effects, safety performance, monitoring, and earthquake and flood recovery.
