Refined Analysis of Slab Bridges for Load Rating

Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) has approximately 100 slab bridges in its inventory that were originally built as early as the 1930's. Material strengths were relatively low, e.g., fy = 33 ksi, and f'c = 3000 psi or less. These structures often fail to pass load rating procedures and Superload (NDOT's) automated Routing and Rating System that uses LARS/Superload and LFR employing a beamline approach. Beamline analysis requires a distribution width E (the lane's width to support one or two lanes of trucks). The load demands are inversely proportional to E, i.e., a refined finite element analysis (FEA) might increase E by 20%, so the load demands decrease by 20%. Better analysis can potentially economize bridge operations and allow vehicles to cross these structures safely. The process might allow increasing or removing the posting sign for any posted structures.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $40635
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Nebraska Department of Transportation

  1500 Nebraska 2
  Lincoln, NE  United States  68502
• Project Managers:

  Halsey, Lieska

• Principal Investigators:

  Maguire, Marc

  Puckett, Jay

• Start Date: 20240701
• Expected Completion Date: 20260531
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Bridges; Load factor
• Geographic Terms: Nebraska
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01920506
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Nebraska Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 4 2024 9:43AM