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Evaluation of Live Load Distribution Factors of a Highway Bridge

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Geotechnical Engineering and Sustainable Construction

Abstract

The design of bridges depends on the transverse distribution characteristics of the live load that is carried. The study goal is to evaluate experimentally and numerically the Live Load Distribution Factors (LLDFs) proposed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) specifications for a case of highway bridge with a composite steel–concrete structural system. Different trucks have been used to attain the static tests and achieve maximum values for the design live loads and deflections for the composite steel–concrete bridge girders. Furthermore, a linear finite element analysis has been executed for the composite bridge to outspread the LLDFs assessment and to study the influence of the Cross-Frame Diaphragm (CFD) on the LLDFs. The moment LLDFs quantities have been calculated according to AASHTO specifications, they have been found more conservative while shear quantities have been found critical, especially in exterior girders. Also, the contribution of CFD in the spread of the live load among the girders has been verified by the redistribution of the LLDFs between the internal and exterior girders.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully present their acknowledgments to the Consulting Engineering Bureau (CEB) and the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Baghdad for the support received to achieve this work.

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Correspondence to Mohannad H. Al-Sherrawi .

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Allawi, A.A., Said, A.I., Al-Sherrawi, M.H., Albayati, A., Al Gharawi, M., El-Zohairy, A. (2022). Evaluation of Live Load Distribution Factors of a Highway Bridge. In: Karkush, M.O., Choudhury, D. (eds) Geotechnical Engineering and Sustainable Construction. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6277-5_43

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6277-5_43

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