Load Testing of Bridges, featuring contributions from almost fifty authors from around the world across two interrelated volumes, deals with the practical aspects, the scientific developments, and the international views on the topic of load testing of bridges. Volume 13, Load Testing of Bridges: Proof Load Testing and the Future of Load Testing, focuses first on proof load testing of bridges. It discusses the specific aspects of proof load testing during the preparation, execution, and post-processing of such a test (Part 1). The second part covers the testing of buildings. The third part discusses novel ideas regarding measurement techniques used for load testing. Methods using non-contact sensors, such as photography- and video-based measurement techniques are discussed. The fourth part discusses load testing in the framework of reliability-based decision-making and in the framework of a bridge management program. The final part of the book summarizes the knowledge presented across the two volumes, as well as the remaining open questions for research, and provides practical recommendations for engineers carrying out load tests. This work will be of interest to researchers and academics in the field of civil/structural engineering, practicing engineers and road authorities worldwide.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

Load Testing of Bridges, featuring contributions from almost fifty authors from around the world across two interrelated volumes, deals with the practical aspects, the scientific developments, and the international views on the topic of load testing of bridges. Volume 12, Load Testing of Bridges: Current practice and Diagnostic Load Testing, starts with a background to bridge load testing, including the historical perspectives and evolutions, and the current codes and guidelines that are governing in countries around the world. The second part of the book deals with preparation, execution, and post-processing of load tests on bridges. The third part focuses on diagnostic load testing of bridges. This work will be of interest to researchers and academics in the field of civil/structural engineering, practicing engineers and road authorities worldwide.

Bridge authorities in the UK are currently facing a large programme of bridge assessment and strengthening. This has been caused, in part, by the necessity of ensuring that the European Union deadline for allowing 40-tonne lorries on to UK roads can be met. Many bridges have failed theoretical assessments and some bridge owners, frustrated by the fact that many failed structures are apparently in good condition and showing no signs of distress, have resorted to load testing their bridges to try to provide additional information. A National Steering Committee for the Load Testing of Bridges was set up to examine the role of bridge load testing as a tool for assisting the assessment process. The National Steering Committee consists of representatives from all major bridge owners including the Highways Agency, the County Surveyors Society, the London Bridges Engineering Group, Railtrack and the British Waterways Board. It also includes representatives from consulting engineers and universities and has the support of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The overall objective of the National Steering Committee was to produce authoritative guidance on load-testing techniques; which could be used by the practising engineer to determine capacities of existing bridges/structures that are safe, prudent and minimize levels of restriction to the transport infrastructure. In June 1995 the committee appointed Rendel Palmer & Tritton in association with Peter Lindsell & Associates and supported by Professors Bakht, Clark and Harding as consultants to carry out a preliminary study of all the available information on bridge load testing. They were to recommend a detailed methodology which would form the basis of a brief to consultants appointed to produce authoritative guidelines for the load testing of bridges. Their report concluded that there is a place for load testing in the evaluation of bridges and other structures and that load testing is a valid tool for bridge managers. They also concluded that there was enough information and experience available to permit safe and effective guidelines to be written. As a result of the preliminary study the National Steering Committee decided to divide the second stage work and restrict the scope of this document to guidelines for supplementary load testing. Work on proof and proving load testing is being carried out by others under the auspices of the Highways Agency. The guidelines contained in this document were not drafted in a prescriptive form, but seek to provide advice on the appropriate use of supplementary load testing as an aid to assessment by calculation. The guidelines have been written to enable engineers to determine: when it is appropriate to consider the use of supplementary load testing; the level of risk, both public safety and economic, associated with load testing; how to plan and carry out a load test including the level of expertise necessary, the appropriate loading methods and the type and quantity of instrumentation required. In addition, the document is intended to be a source of information on load testing, measuring equipment and specialist techniques that engineers can use for reference.

This book gathers the latest advances and innovations in the field of quality control and improvement of bridges and structures, as presented by international researchers and engineers at the 1st Conference of the European Association on Quality Control of Bridges and Structures (EUROSTRUCT 2021), held in Padua, Italy on August 29 – September 1, 2021. Contributions include a wide range of topics such as testing and advanced diagnostic techniques for damage detection; SHM and AI, IoT and machine learning for data analysis of bridges and structures; fiberoptics and smart sensors for long-term SHM; structural reliability, risk, robustness, redundancy and resilience for bridges; corrosion models, fatigue analysis and impact of hazards on infrastructure components; bridge and asset management systems, and decision-making models; Life-Cycle Analysis, retrofit and service-life extension, risk management protocols; quality control plans, sustainability and green materials.

Load Testing of Bridges, featuring contributions from almost fifty authors from around the world across two interrelated volumes, deals with the practical aspects, the scientific developments, and the international views on the topic of load testing of bridges. Volume 12, Load Testing of Bridges: Current practice and Diagnostic Load Testing, starts with a background to bridge load testing, including the historical perspectives and evolutions, and the current codes and guidelines that are governing in countries around the world. The second part of the book deals with preparation, execution, and post-processing of load tests on bridges. The third part focuses on diagnostic load testing of bridges. Volume 13, Load Testing of Bridges: Proof Load Testing and the Future of Load Testing, focuses first on proof load testing of bridges. It discusses the specific aspects of proof load testing during the preparation, execution, and post-processing of such a test (Part 1). The second part covers the testing of buildings. The third part discusses novel ideas regarding measurement techniques used for load testing. Methods using non-contact sensors, such as photography- and video-based measurement techniques are discussed. The fourth part discusses load testing in the framework of reliability-based decision-making and in the framework of a bridge management program. The final part of the book summarizes the knowledge presented across the two volumes, as well as the remaining open questions for research, and provides practical recommendations for engineers carrying out load tests. This work will be of interest to researchers and academics in the field of civil/structural engineering, practicing engineers and road authorities worldwide.