A Collaborative Approach for Load Rating of State-Owned Bridges

The proper assessment and maintenance of highway bridges is crucial for the safety of the traveling public and an important and contemporary issue for civil engineering students. It is fitting and essential that the load rating of existing bridges be addressed in the education of future civil engineers to ensure public bridges remain safe under current legal loads and observed structural conditions. In addition, load rating plays an important role in developing safe truck routes for permit loads. Updating of capacity ratings using the latest specifications is also important to ensure bridges are adequate according to current practice. This study describes the load rating approach developed at New Mexico State University (NMSU) in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). The major goal of the partnership was to provide accurate load ratings for the NMDOT and to educate NMSU students. Furthermore, this approach may be used as a framework for other agencies to consider as they develop or modify their load rating procedures. Reinforced concrete (R/C) slab, simple-span prestressed concrete (P/C) girder, and continuous-span P/C girder bridges were load rated. The project resulted in several educational outcomes including: interpretation of design plans; understanding of load rating procedures for bridges; appreciation for the importance of quality control; preparation of structural calculations; collaborating and building a partnership; and creation of opportunities for decision making.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Castro, Thelma
  • Jauregui, David Villegas
  • Maberry, Steven
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2010-1-10 to 2010-1-14
• Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: DVD
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: TRB 89th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Civil engineering; Girder bridges; Load factor; Prestressed concrete bridges; Reinforced concrete; Structures
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge maintenance
• Geographic Terms: New Mexico
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01152400
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 10-0818
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 16 2010 6:13AM