BRIDGE WEIGHT-LIMIT POSTING PRACTICE IN THE UNITED STATES

Bridge weight limits allow the continued, limited use of a weak bridge that would otherwise present a significant safety hazard while protecting the legal and economic interests of the bridge owner. For weight limits to be effective, however, bridges must be posted for the proper weight limit, and the posting must be observed and enforced. The federal government became involved in bridge weight-limit posting in 1968 with the creation of National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS), which required states to inspect, inventory, and evaluate bridges on federal-aid routes. Weight-limit posting was required for bridges found to have insufficient structural capacity. The results of a survey of state posting practices are presented and the findings of a study on weight-limit posting in the United States are summarized. NBIS provides some engineering guidance for inspecting, evaluating, and posting highway bridges, but considerable engineering judgment is still required to fill the gaps. As a result, even within the limits set by NBIS, engineering practices vary among the states, which leads to differences in posting methods. This is evident from the results of the survey of the states. Development of a simple, uniform posting criterion by which the legitimate differences that exist between states can be rationally considered is recommended.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1984/950/950v1-011.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=BRIDGE+WEIGHT-LIMIT+POSTING+PRACTICE+IN+THE+UNITED+STATES&author=R.+Imbsen&author=R.+Nutt&publication_year=1984
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appeared in Transportation Research Record Number 950, Volume 1, Second Bridge Engineering Conference conducted by the Transportation Research Board and the Federal Highway Administration, September 24-26, 1984. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Structures Maintenance. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Imbsen, Roy A
  • Nutt, Richard V
• Conference:
  • Bridge Engineering Conference, 2nd, 1984, Washington, DC, USA
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 70-76
• Monograph Title: Second bridge engineering conference. volumes 1 and 2
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 950
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Data collection; Evaluation; Federal aid highways; Inspection; Regulation; Size and weight regulations; Standardization; Surveys; Vehicle weight
• Old TRIS Terms: Postings
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Law; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00390848
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 03090036593
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM