A LOADING HISTORY STUDY OF SELECTED HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN LOUISIANA

THE LIVE LOAD STRESSES WHICH OCCUR DUE TO SERVICE LOADS IN THE STEEL STRINGERS OF EIGHT SELECTED HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN LOUISIANA WERE EVALUATED. THE SELECTED STRUCTURES INCLUDE CONTINUOUS SPAN MEMBERS WITH NON-COMPOSITE DECKS, SIMPLE SPANS WITH NON-COMPOSITE DECKS, AND SIMPLE SPANS WITH COMPOSITE DECKS. DETAILS OF BOTH TOTAL TRAFFIC AND TRUCK VOLUME (INCLUDING TYPE AND WEIGHT) CONSISTENT WITH THE STRAIN DATA WERE OBTAINED. DATA IS PRESENTED FOR A TWENTY FOUR HOUR PERIOD OBTAINED FROM SAMPLES RECORDED INTERMITTENTLY OVER A PERIOD OF FOUR TO FIVE DAYS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE FATIGUE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE STEEL SUPPORTING MEMBERS IS A MATTER OF HUNDREDS OF YEARS UNDER PRESENT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES ARE LOW AND WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS LEVELS OF LESS THAN HALF THE LIVE LOAD VALUES FOR INDETERMINATE STRUCTURES. THE INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEM IS DESIGNED AROUND AN INTERMITTENT SAMPLER (MULTIPLEXER) AND TAPE RECORDER WITH SUBSEQUENT PROCESSING OF THE ANTILOG DATA FOR DECODING, DIGITIZING AND EVALUATION. /FHWA/

• Corporate Authors:

  Louisiana State University and Agriculture & Mechanical College, Baton Rouge

  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70803
• Authors:
  • Turner, H T
  • Manning, T K
• Publication Date: 1972-4-1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Axle load force; Bridge decks; Bridge design; Bridge superstructures; Bridges; Composite materials; Data recorders; Deflection; Fatigue (Mechanics); Live loads; Loads; Sampling; Stresses; Stringers; Structural design; Traffic volume; Trucks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge spans; Fatigue life
• Old TRIS Terms: Continuous sampling; Simple span; Truck effects (Bridges)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Motor Carriers;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208097
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Louisiana Department of Highways
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 11 1974 12:00AM