SERVICE TRAFFIC LOADS ON SIX MILE CREEK BRIDGE, QUEENSLAND

A steel girder bridge with a composite concrete deck has been instrumented to record the passage of heavy vehicles. Strain gauges have been located at midspan on the lower flanges of the six steel girders to record the behaviour of the bridge. A special purpose data logger has been designed and installed to identify heavy vehicles. These signals are recorded on tape for post processing. The maximum recorded live load was 1.89 times the design T44 live loading of the bridge with thirty percent impact. The thesis reports on vehicle impact studies, the natural frequency of the bridge, histograms of total bridge loadings, histograms of individual girder loadings, rainflow analysis for fatigue, consecutive vehicle information, ultimate capacity of the bridge and a comparison of the design and measured factors of safety. It has been concluded that the current design procedures adequately represent the actual live loadings of bridges. The Thesis was submitted as partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Engineering Science, University of Queensland, 1982. (Author/TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Queensland

  St Lucia
  Brisbane, Queensland 4067,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Pritchard, R W
• Publication Date: 1980-12

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 413 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Beams; Bearing capacity; Bibliographies; Bridge decks; Calibration; Coefficients; Composite materials; Computer programs; Concrete; Data collection; Design; Design load; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Girder bridges; Histograms; Live loads; Loads; Measuring instruments; Metal bridges; Natural frequency; Safety; Steel bridges; Strain gages; Test procedures; Theses; Traffic loads; Trucks; Ultimate strength; Vehicles
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• Old TRIS Terms: Coefficient of safety
• ITRD Terms: 6155: Apparatus (measuring); 8006: Australia; 3472: Beam; 3085: Bearing capacity; 8518: Bibliography; 3482: Bridge deck; 6171: Calibration; 9005: Composite; 4755: Concrete; 8623: Data acquisition; 9011: Design (overall design); 5567: Load; 1236: Lorry; 3465: Metal bridge; 5549: Natural frequency; 5504: Safety coefficient; 8645: Software; 5562: Strain gauge; 6288: Test method; 8597: Thesis; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00379971
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Report/Paper Numbers: Thesis
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 30 1984 12:00AM