Development of Bridge Load Testing Program for Load Rating of Concrete Bridges

R27-205 Development of Bridge Load Testing Program for Load Rating of Concrete Bridges 12/15/2024 All bridges must undergo regular inspection and load rating, which determines the weight a bridge can safely support. A bridge’s load rating factor determines if the bridge should be closed to traffic or if the weight placed on it should be restricted. The goal of this project is to develop a method for the Illinois Department of Transportation to perform diagnostic and proof load testing of concrete slab bridges. The developed method will allow structural engineers to evaluate the load capacity of concrete slab bridges more accurately. Effective use of the developed method will result in fewer bridges being unnecessarily restricted from traffic.