The bridge was closed for much of December after damaged steelwork was discovered. It remains closed to HGVs.
The infrastructure and capital investment committee is holding a "focused" inquiry into maintenance in recent years and the structural defect behind the closure.
The first session is taking evidence from Transport Scotland and bridge operators Amey.
The specific remit of the inquiry is to "examine the management, monitoring and maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge principally in the 10 year period prior to its closure on public safety grounds in December 2015".
Substantial disruption was caused by the closure, and the Scottish government clashed with opposition parties repeatedly over the matter.
A number of claims and counter-claims were exchanged over what work had been done on the bridge and what warnings were given about potential problems, which the committee is now seeking to address.
An independent technical expert has been taken on to advise MSPs during the inquiry, which will take evidence in January and February before reporting in March.
Amey's predecessor, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, and Transport Minister Derek Mackay are also expected to be called before the committee.
The bridge was closed to all traffic on 4 December after a 20mm shear fault was discovered in a truss-end link, part of the structure which helps hold the carriageway up.
A temporary repair saw metal splints winched into place and used to clamp the metalwork together, with similar work done on other similar parts of the bridge as a precaution and monitoring devices installed.
Although it was re-opened to the majority of traffic ahead of schedule on 23 December, the repair put in place - estimated to have cost about Â£2m - was not deemed strong enough to allow HGVs to cross.
A permanent repair to allow vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes is forecast to be complete by mid-February. HGVs account for 9% of traffic and 32% of the weight the bridge normally carries.
These vehicles have been diverted up the Forth Valley around Kincardine Bridge since the closure.
MSPs begin an inquiry into the closure of the Forth Road Bridge.