Recommended Practices for Live Load Testing of Existing Flat-Slab Concrete Bridges

Current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) provisions for load rating flat-slab concrete bridges use the equivalent strip width method, which is regarded as overly conservative compared to more advanced analysis methods and field live load testing. It has been shown that live load testing of bridges can provide more accurate responses and can be used to calculate less conservative load rating factors. Amer et al (1999), Jáuregui et al. (2010), Poulin (2012) and Saraf (1998) have all demonstrated the benefits of non-destructive testing for the load rating of flat-slab concrete bridges. This document is a guide that provides additional recommendations on accepted AASHTO procedures and for live load testing of flat-slab concrete bridges. Sections 2 – 6 give specific recommendations in addition to those in the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation (AASHTO 2008). Section 7 provides an example of a report for a live load test that was conducted on Bradford Bridge #3430 (Poulin 2012).

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• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/28483
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Maine, Orono

  Advanced Structures and Composites Center
  35 Flagstaff Road
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  Maine Department of Transportation

  16 Statehouse Station
  Augusta, ME  United States  04333-0016
• Authors:
  • Poulin, Timothy J
  • Davids, Bill
• Publication Date: 2012-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Technical Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 34p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete bridges; Live loads; Load factor; Load tests; Recommendations
• Identifier Terms: AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Flat slab highway bridges; Load rating (Bridges)
• Geographic Terms: Maine
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01560337
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: ME 14-09, Project 017666.00, Task 5
• Contract Numbers: 20100506*5729
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 11 2015 5:37PM