OVERLOADING OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES--INITIATION OF DECK DAMAGE

Various surveys have indicated that highway bridges are subjected to vehicular load levels and combinations far in excess of those for which they were designed. The prediction of the effects of the overloading as well as the over-load permit operations do not reflect the sophistication scientific or technical fields have attained. The paper presents the findings of a parametric investigation employing Program BOVA (Bridge Overload Analysis), that encompasses 45 case studies. Five different commonly encountered overload vehicles and nine different bridge configurations are considered. The bridge superstructures are simple span beam-slab bridges with prestressed concrete I-beams and reinforced concrete deck, and having no skew. The results of the findings are presented in tabular form for the bridges and the overload vehicles. For given bridges and vehicles the gross vehicular weights, axle weights and "equivalent area loads" are defined that will induce cracking in the concrete that will reach the reinforcing bars. It has been found that if a small amount of damage to the bridge deck is permitted, the load levels which the superstructure can carry are usually in excess of the commonly reported permissible overload weights. Recommendations have been made for the use of the tabulated results in overload permit operations. It has been suggested that the findings can be applied to overload permit operations in the absence of reliable methods of predicting the overload response of bridges. It is also indicated that the suggested guidelines are useful for infrequent traverses of vehicles until the completion of research programs that will delineate the permissible and impermissible overloadings that will be based on limited damage criteria. /Author/

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: pp 207-211
  • Monograph Title: Bridge Engineering. Volume 1
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00183766
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309026962
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Dec 3 1978 12:00AM