This synthesis will be of interest to state department of transportation and consulting bridge, structural, and research engineers. The synthesis describes the current state of the practice for determining dynamic impact factors for bridges. Information for the synthesis was collected by surveying U.S. and Canadian transportation agencies and by conducting a literature search using domestic and foreign sources. This report of the Transportation Research Board documents relevant background and recent information with regard to vehicular dynamic load effects on bridges. It provides details on the basic concepts of bridge dynamics, including identification of the main variables affecting bridge dynamic response. In addition, current code provisions for accounting for vehicular dynamic load effects for new bridge design and load evaluation of existing bridges are reported, including a discussion on the background of the provisions. Finally, a discussion of observed field problems associated with vehicular dynamic load effects, as obtained from the survey, are included.

There is considerable uncertainty about what level of traffic loading bridges should be designed for. Codes specify notional load models, generally to represent extreme levels of normal traffic, but these are often crude and have inconsistent levels of safety for different load effects. Over the past few decades, increasing quantities of reliable truck weight data has become available and it is now possible to calculate appropriate levels of bridge traffic loading, both for specific bridges and for a road network. Bridge Traffic Loading brings together experts from all over the world to deliver not just the state-of-the-art of vertical loading, but also to provide recommendations of best-practice for all the major challenges in the field – short-span, single and multi-lane bridge loading, dynamic allowance and long-span bridges. It reviews issues that continue to be debated, such as which statistical distribution is most appropriate, whether free-flowing or congested traffic governs and dealing with future traffic growth. Specialist consultants and bridge owners should find this invaluable, as will regulators.

Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Reliability models for combinations of extreme events -- Chapter 3. Calibration of load factors for combinations of extreme events -- Chapter 4. Conclusions and future research -- References -- Glossary of notations -- Appendixes.

Until now, information on the dynamic loading of structures has been widely scattered. No other book has examined the different types of loading in a comprehensive and systematic manner, and looked at their signficance in the design process. The book begins with a survey of the probabilistic background to all forms of loads, which is particularly i

This book provides a detailed examination of all aspects of traffic loading and describes how design and assessment methods have evolved to deal with them.

A How-To Guide for Bridge Engineers and Designers Highway Bridge Superstructure Engineering: LRFD Approaches to Design and Analysis provides a detailed discussion of traditional structural design perspectives, and serves as a state-of-the-art resource on the latest design and analysis of highway bridge superstructures. This book is applicable to highway bridges of all construction and material types, and is based on the load and resistance factor design (LRFD) philosophy. It discusses the theory of probability (with an explanation leading to the calibration process and reliability), and includes fully solved design examples of steel, reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge superstructures. It also contains step-by-step calculations for determining the distribution factors for several different types of bridge superstructures (which form the basis of load and resistance design specifications) and can be found in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. Fully Realize the Basis and Significance of LRFD Specifications Divided into six chapters, this instructive text: Introduces bridge engineering as a discipline of structural design Describes numerous types of highway bridge superstructures systems Presents a detailed discussion of various types of loads that act on bridge superstructures and substructures Discusses the methods of analyses of highway bridge superstructures Includes a detailed discussion of reinforced and prestressed concrete bridges, and slab-steel girder bridges Highway Bridge Superstructure Engineering: LRFD Approaches to Design and Analysis can be used for teaching highway bridge design courses to undergraduate- and graduate-level classes, and as an excellent resource for practicing engineers.