TRUCK LOADS ON SELECTED BRIDGES IN THE DETROIT AREA. RESEARCH REPORT

The project is focused on structures that showed signs of deck deterioration, in particular spalling concrete. The selection criteria included location, accessibility for testing equipment, span length, truck traffic volume, and presence of stop lights. The results of measurements are available for seven bridges. In general, live load on bridges is strongly site specific. There is a considerable variation in traffic volume and weight of trucks. The estimated average daily truck traffic (ADTT) varies from 500 to 1,500 (in one direction). The maximum observed truck weight varies from 80 kips to 250 kips. The maximum observed axle weights vary from 20 kips to almost 50 kips. The largest GVW and axle weights were observed on I-94 and M-39. These roads also have the largest observed traffic volume with the estimated ADTT up to 1,500 in one direction. The observed truck weights are compared with estimated Michigan legal limits. Most of the overloaded trucks were observed on high-volume highways (I-94 and M-39). The actual percentage varies depending on the number of axles, from 0 to 40%. The largest percentage of overloaded trucks was observed for 11-axle vehicles. For each bridge, the results are shown for all truck types together, and then separately for each truck type (by number of axles). The presented data include histograms and cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) of the gross vehicle weight (GVW) and axle weight.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This study was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Brown Building
  2355 Hayward Street
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2125

  Great Lakes Center for Truck and Transit Research

  201 UMTRI Building, 2901 Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2150

  Michigan Department of Transportation

  State Transportation Building, 425 West Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050
  Lansing, MI  United States  48909
• Authors:
  • Nowak, A S
  • Kim, Sanling
  • LAMAN, J A
  • Saraf, V
  • Sokolik, A F
• Publication Date: 1994-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 270 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Average daily traffic; Axle load force; Axles; Bridges; Gross vehicle weight; Highway bridges; Histograms; Oversize loads; Spalling; Truck traffic; Trucks; Trucks by weight; Vehicle weight; Weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Axle weight; Cumulative distribution functions; Overloads
• Geographic Terms: Detroit (Michigan)
• Old TRIS Terms: Average daily truck traffic; Truck effects (Bridges)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Motor Carriers; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00676623
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GLCTTR 58/93-03, UMCE 94-34
• Contract Numbers: DTRS92-G-0005
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 20 1995 12:00AM