About the Journal

SCOPE OF THE JOURNAL

The International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Management and Research (BER) is a fully open access online only journal through joint partnership between Anil K Agrawal, LLC (USA) and the FABRE Consortium (Italy).  The journal serves as a forum for the publication of scientific and technical papers related to all aspects of bridge engineering and management, including structural, seismic, hydraulic and geotechnical risk analysis, structural health monitoring, static and dynamic assessments, structural retrofitting and resiliency enhancement. The journal also publishes research papers on tunnels focusing on the areas mentioned above. The journal does not consider papers that are purely related to construction technology, construction management of bridges and tunnels and railway engineering. Research technical papers and case studies dealing with innovative technological or computational solutions to bridges and tunnels, as well as experimental methods and novel design and theoretical analysis procedures are strong candidates for publication in the journal.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

The journal review policy is double-blind review process (i.e., both author and reviewer identities are not disclosed).  All submitted manuscripts are reviewed by up to three, but at least two,  internationally recognized reviewers.  This review process does not apply to editorial articles.  The decision to accept or reject a manuscript is based on comments and recommendations from reviewers and associate editor's own review of a manuscript.  The editor of the journal, based on all reviews and recommendation, makes the final decision on a manuscript.  However, authors can appeal the decision.  In that case, a declined manuscript will be allowed a second review by a different set of reviewers, which will be the final round of review for that manuscript.

PRIVACY STATEMENT

The names and email addresses entered in the International Journal of Bridge Engineering and Management Research site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party. The data collected from registered and non-registered users of this journal falls within the scope of the standard functioning of peer-reviewed journals.

The journal collects such information only insofar as is necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with the journal. It includes information that makes communication possible for the editorial process; it is used to inform readers about the authorship and editing of content and it enables collecting aggregated data on readership behaviors. Data may be shared with the publishing platform developer, Public Knowledge Project, in an anonymized and aggregated form, with appropriate exceptions such as article metrics. The data will not be sold or distributed by this journal, FABRE, or PKP, nor will it be used for purposes other than those stated here.

PUBLICATION ETHICS POLICY

This publication ethics statement outlines the expected standards of ethical behavior for all parties involved in the publication process of the International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Management and Research (IJBEMR): authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher. The statement is based on the COPE’s (The Committee on Publication Ethics) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. COPE, along with the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) collaborate to identify best practices in scholarly publishing.  This ethics statement will be upheld in all stages of the publication process, and the Journal is dedicated to preserving the credibility of scholarly research.

The International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Management and Research (IJBEMR) is dedicated to maintaining high standards of scholarly review and professional publishing judgment. Editorial decisions are made by the journal editor in accordance with established editorial principles.  IJBEMR supports its editorial board in an ethical and transparent management of publications in the journal.

Editorial Decisions

  • Journal editor, assisted by its editorial board, makes the final decisions about acceptance or rejection of a manuscript. The editorial board evaluates manuscripts based on relevance, quality, and integrity, without bias based on the author’s gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or political views.
  • The editor and all associate editors of the journal are required to follow strict standards to avoid using unpublished materials from a submitted manuscript in their own research.
  • Manuscripts are evaluated on intellectual merit, and any content that could potentially infringe upon legal standards (such as plagiarism, libel, or copyright violations) is strictly scrutinized and prohibited, if found to infringe.
  • The recommendation and decision made by the Editor and the associate editors is based on critical reviews from external reviewers.  However, associate editors can use their own review in addition to reviews from external reviews in the decision-making process.

Peer Reviewer Duties

  • Peer reviewers help journal editors assess a manuscript’s quality and suitability for publication. They must treat all submissions as confidential, not sharing or discussing them with others unless authorized by the editor.
  • Reviewers must act impartially, disclosing any potential conflicts of interest to the editor, such as prior collaborations or personal relationships with the author(s).
  • Reviews must be objective, focused on the manuscript’s scholarly content, and free of personal criticism. Reviewers should identify uncredited relevant works and notify the editor if they recognize significant overlap with previously published works.
  • All ideas or information gained during peer review are confidential and should not be used for personal or professional gain.

Authorship

  • All authors listed on a manuscript must have made a significant contribution to the planning, execution, or interpretation presented in the paper.  All contributors should be appropriately acknowledged.
  • The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all co-authors have approved the final version of the manuscript and consent to its submission.
  • Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that might influence the interpretation of their results and acknowledge all sources of funding for the research.
  • Manuscripts must accurately represent the research performed, with all supporting data and references properly cited. Intentional misrepresentation of data or plagiarism is considered unethical.
  • Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals concurrently is prohibited. If an author decides to submit the manuscript elsewhere, they must formally withdraw it from this journal.

Errors in Published Works

  • If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate to correct or retract the paper.
  • Editors are responsible for reviewing and resolving any concerns about published works, including errors, plagiarism, or failure to disclose conflicts of interest. In such cases, the journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the published record.

PUBLICATION MALPRACTICE STATEMENT

Publication malpractice, including but not limited to plagiarism, falsification or fabrication of data, duplicate submission, inappropriate authorship, and conflicts of interest, is a serious violation of academic standards. Any suspected instances of publication malpractice will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate actions will be taken, which may include retraction of the article, banning of authors from submitting future work, and notification to relevant academic and professional bodies.

We encourage authors to carefully review their work, accurately cite sources, and respect the intellectual property rights of others. Reviewers and editors are also expected to uphold ethical standards by providing constructive, unbiased feedback and disclosing any conflicts of interest.

By adhering to these principles, we aim to ensure that the work we publish contributes to the advancement of knowledge with integrity and respect for the scholarly community.

OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

BER was founded in 2023 jointly by Anil K Agrawal, LLC, USA and the FABRE Consortium, Italy.  The journal is financially supported by the FABRE Consortium, Italy,  (https://www.consorziofabre.it/en/homepage/), a research consortium for the evaluation and monitoring of bridges, viaducts and other structures. FABRE promotes and coordinates the participation of associated Universities and Research Institutions in scientific activities in the fields of Civil Engineering and Architecture, with particular reference to the evaluation of bridges, viaducts and other structures. Consisting of 9 universities and 1 research institution, FABRE plays a significant role in providing expertise and technologies to monitor and assess the safety of infrastructures. With a goal to foster international collaborations at much larger scale, the Consortium is supporting the Journal which acts as a catalyst for cutting-edge research and innovation in the field by world’s leading experts in research related to infrastructures. Donations to FABRE's publications fund currently support the development and production of the International Journal of Bridge Engineering and Management Research.  For more information about the FABRE Consortium, please visit FABRE website.

GOVERNING BODY

Anil K Agrawal, LLC, USA and the FABRE Consortium, Italy jointly form the governing body of the journal for all administrative purposes.  The editorial board of the journal consisting of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editors and Associate Editors, manage the peer review process of and  the journal.  The Editor-in-Chief is primarily responsible for appointment and termination of appointment of associate editors.  There is no fixed term for associate editors.  The Editor-in-Chief may terminate appointment of an associate editor for unsatisfactory performance.

ADVERTISING

All adverts for the journal shall be authorized by the Editor-in-Chief.   The journal plans to send emails at regular intervals to users registered with the journals to solicit papers.  The solicitations may also be published on the journal website under the announcement section.  The Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editors may also be encouraged, but not required, to post these adverts on their social media accounts, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.  The journal has a strict policy of not sending any adverts related in any way to the editorial decision making.  The journal may make separate adverts on informing readers about published contents by the journal.  These adverts shall be kept separate from adverts soliciting papers.

DIRECT MARKETING

The journal has a policy of making all direct marketing activities conducted on behalf of the journal, including solicitation of manuscripts, well targeted, and unobtrusive and shall be based on truthful information.  Any such information shall not be misleading for readers, authors or reviewers.