Bridge Loadings

Bridge Loadings.
Loads considered in Bridge analysis are:
1. Gravity Loads
2. Lateral Loads
3. Forces due to deformation
4. Collision Loads
Gravity loads are the loads caused by the weight
of an object on the bridge and applied in a
downward direction toward the center of the
earth. Such loads may be:
A. Permanent Gravity Loads
B. Transient Gravity Loads
Permanent gravity loads are the loads that remain on
the bridge for an extended period of time or for the
whole service life.
Such loads include:
1. Dead load of structural components and non
structural attachments ------------------------ (DC)
2. Dead load of wearing surfaces and utilities (DW)
3. Dead load of earth fill ---------------------------- (EV)
4. Earth pressure load ------------------------------- (EH)
5. Earth surface load --------------------------------- (ES)
6. Down drag ------------------------------------------ (DD)
Permanent Gravity Loads
DEAD LOAD OF STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS AND

NON-STRUCTURAL ATTACHMENTS (DC)
 In bridges, structural components refer to the

elements that are part of load resistance system.
 Nonstructural attachments refer to such items as

curbs, parapets, barriers, rails, signs , illuminators,
etc. Weight of such items can be estimated by
using unit weight of materials and its geometry.
DEAD LOAD OF WEARING SURFACES AND UTILITIES (DW)
This load is estimated by taking the unit weight times the

thickness of the surface.
The maximum and minimum load factors for the DC
loads are 1.25 and 0.90 respectively and for DW loads
are 1.5 and 0.65 respectively
DEAD LOAD OF EARTH FILL (EV)
This load must be considered for buried structures such as culverts.
It is determined by multiplying the unit weight times the depth

of the materials.
EARTH SURFACE LOAD (ES)
The earth surcharge load (ES) is calculated like the EV

loads with the only difference being in the load factors.
This difference is attributed to the variability.
Part or all of this load could be removed in the future or

the surcharge material (loads) could be changed.
ES has a maximum and minimum load factor of 1.5 and

0.75 respectively.
DRAGDOWN (DD)
It is the force exerted on a pile or drilled shaft due to

the soil movement around the element. Such a force
is permanent and typically increases with time.
Transient Gravity Loads
These loads change with time and may be applied
from several directions or locations.
Transient loads typically include gravity load due to
the vehicular, rail or pedestrian traffic as well as
lateral loads such those due to wind, water, ice, etc.
HEAVY LOADING
Wheeled Vehicles
For transient load each code has described the
following criterion:
 Design lanes
 Vehicular Design loads
 Fatigue Loads
 Pedestrian Loads
 Deck and Railing Loads
 Multiple Presence
 Dynamic Effects
 Centrifugal Forces
Number of lanes a bridge may accommodate must be
established.
Two such terms are used in the lane design of a bridge:
a) Traffic lane
b) Design Lane.
Traffic Lane:
The traffic lane is the number of lanes of traffic that the traffic
engineer plans to route across the bridge. A lane width is
associated with a traffic lane and is typically 3.6 m.
Design Lane:
Design lane is the lane designation used by the bridge
engineer for the live load placement.
The design lane width may or may not be the same as the
traffic lane.
• According to AASHTO specifications,
• AASHTO uses a 3m design lane and the vehicle is to
be positioned within that lane for extreme effect.
• The number of design lanes is defined by taking the
integral part of the ratio of the clear roadway width
divided by 3.6m.[A3.6.1.1.1]
• Number of design lane = W/3600, where W is clear
width of roadway
• The clear width is the distance between the curbs
and/or barriers.
VEHICULAR DESIGN LOADS
For analysis, simpler model was developed which

represents the same extreme load effects as the
exclusion vehicles.
This model consists of three different loads:
1.Design truck
2.Design tandem
3.Design Lane
• Design Truck:
• According to AASHTO design specifications(1996), the design truck is a
model that resembles the semi trailer truck. as shown in the figure.
[A3.6.1.2].
• Variable Spacing
The variable spacing provide a more
satisfactory loading for continuous
spans and the heavy axle loads may
be so placed on adjoining spans as to produce maximum –ve moments.
This design truck has the same configuration since 1944 and is commonly
referred to as HS20-44(denoting Highway Semitrailer 20 tons with year of
publication 1944).
DESIGN TANDEM
The second configuration is the design tandem and is

illustrated in the figure. It consists of two axles
weighing 110kN each spaced at 1.2m.
TANDEM: A tandem can be defined as two closely
spaced and mechanically interconnected axles of
equal weight.
DESIGN LANE LOAD
The third load is the design lane load that consists of a

uniformly distributed load of 9.3 N/mm and is
assumed to occupy a region 3m transversely. This
load is same as uniform pressure of 64 lbs/ft² applied
in a 10ft (3m) design lane.
The load of design truck and design tandem must each
be superimposed with the load effects of the design
lane load. This combination of load and axle loads is
a major deviation from the requirements of the
earlier AASHTO standard specifications where the
loads were considered separately.
PEDESTRIAN LOADS
• The AASHTO pedestrian load is 3.6 x 10-3 MPa, which is applied to

sidewalk that are integral with a roadway bridge.
• If load is applied on bridge restricted to pedestrian or bicycle traffic , then
a 4.1 x 10-3 MPa is used.
• The railing for pedestrian or bicycle must be designed for a load of 0.73
N/mm both transversely and vertically on each longitudinal element in the
railing system.[A13.8 and A18.9].
• In addition as shown in the figure , the railing must be designed to
sustain a single concentrated load of 890 N applied to the top rail in any
direction and at any location.
DECK & RAILING LOAD
• The deck must be designed for the load effect due to design truck or
design tandem , whichever creates the most extreme effect.
• The deck overhang, located outside the facial girder and commonly
referred to as the cantilever is designed for the load effect of a uniform
line load of 14.6 N/mm located 3m from the face of the curb or railing as
shown in the figure.
MULTIPLE PRESENCE
• Trucks will be present in adjacent lanes on roadways with multiple

design lanes but it is unlikely that three adjacent lanes will be
loaded simultaneously with the three heavy loads.
• Therefore, some adjustment in the design load is necessary. To
account for this effect AASHTO provides an adjustment factor for
the multiple presence. A table for these factors is provided.
DYNAMIC EFFECTS
• Dynamics : The variation of any function with respect to

time.
• Dynamic Effects : The effects i.e., deformation or stress
resultant due to the dynamic loads.
• Due to the roughness of the road, the oscillation of the
suspension system of a vehicle creates axle forces. These
forces are produced by alternate compression and tension of
the suspension system.
• This phenomenon which is also known as IMPACT is more
precisely referred to as dynamic loading.
• These axle forces exceed the static weight during the time
the acceleration is upward and is less than the static weight
when the acceleration is downward.
The dynamic load allowance for culverts
and other buried structures, in %, shall
be taken as:
IM = 33 (1.0 - 4.l*10-4 DE) > 0% Where:
DE = the minimum depth of earth cover
above the structure (mm)
CENTRIFUGAL FORCES
Centrifugal force is due to inertia force of
vehicles on curved bridges at speed.
Centrifugal forces shall be applied horizontally
at a distance 1.8 m above the roadway
surface.
It is given by axle load multiply by constant C
where
C = (4 v2) / ( 3 g*R )
BRAKING FORCES
• Braking forces are significant in bridge loads consideration.

This force is transmitted to the deck and taken into the
substructure by the bearings or supports.
• This force is assumed to act horizontally at 1800 mm
above the roadway surface in either longitudinal direction.
• Here , the multiple presence factor may be applied as it is
unlikely that all the trucks in all the lanes will be at the
maximum design level.
• The braking force shall be taken as 25% of the axle weights
of the design truck or the design tandem placed in all
lanes.
This force is determined as fraction of weight
b = v2/ (2ga), a is retardation length
Taken as 25% of axle weight or tandem load and is
applied at 1.8m in longitudinal direction in either
direction
LATERAL LOADS
Following forces are considered under lateral loads:
• Fluid forces (Water forces and Wind forces)
• Seismic Loads
• Ice Forces
• Wind Loads (WL= Wind on Live load; WS= Wind
load on Structure)
The wind loading shall not be taken less than 4.4
kN/m2 in the plane of a windward chord and 2.2
kN/m2 in the plane of a leeward chord on truss
and arch components, and not less than 4.4
kN/m2 on beam or girder components.
Wind pressure on vehicles shall be represented by
an interruptible, moving force of 1.46 kN/m
acting normal to, and 1.8 m above, the roadway
and shall be transmitted to the structure
COLLISION LOADS
Collision loads include:
1.Vessel Collision load

2.Rail Collision Load
3.Vehicle Collision Load
Vessel Collision load:
• On bridge over navigable waterways the possibility of vessel
collision with the pier must be considered. Typically, this is of
concern for structures that are classified as long span bridges.
Vessel collision loads are classified in AASHTO [A3.14].
Rail Collision Load:

• If a bridge is located near a railway, the possibility of collision
of the bridge as a result of a railway derailment exists. As this
possibility is remote, the bridge must be designed for collision
forces using extreme limit states.
Vehicle Collision Load:
• The collision force of a vehicle with the barrier, railing and
parapet should be considered in bridge design.
Vehicular Collision (CT= Vehicular Collision
Force): Is the load of 1800KN and acts at 1.2m
above the road level
Water Loads (WA= Water Load and Stream
Pressure)
Buoyancy
Stream Pressure

Bridge Loadings

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Bridge Loadings.

Loads considered in Bridge analysis are:

DEAD LOAD OF STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS AND

 In bridges, structural components refer to the

 Nonstructural attachments refer to such items as

This load is estimated by taking the unit weight times the

It is determined by multiplying the unit weight times the depth

The earth surcharge load (ES) is calculated like the EV

This difference is attributed to the variability.

Part or all of this load could be removed in the future or

ES has a maximum and minimum load factor of 1.5 and

It is the force exerted on a pile or drilled shaft due to

For analysis, simpler model was developed which

The second configuration is the design tandem and is

The third load is the design lane load that consists of a

• The AASHTO pedestrian load is 3.6 x 10-3 MPa, which is applied to

• Trucks will be present in adjacent lanes on roadways with multiple

• Dynamics : The variation of any function with respect to

• Braking forces are significant in bridge loads consideration.

Following forces are considered under lateral loads:

• Fluid forces (Water forces and Wind forces)

Collision loads include:

1.Vessel Collision load

Rail Collision Load:

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