文档介绍：Impact mercial Vehicle Weight Change on Highway
Bridge Infrastructure
G. Fu1; J. Feng2; W. Dekelbab3; F. Moses4; H. Cohen5; and D. Mertz6
Abstract: Heavy trucks represent a major load to highway bridges in the transportation infrastructure system. These loads are directly
related to the truck weight limits of the jurisdiction, and largely determine the standard loads for bridge design and evaluation. Thus, truck
weight limit is one of the major factors affecting bridge deterioration and expenditure for maintenance, repair, and/or replacement. Truck
weight in this paper not only refers to the truck gross weight but also to the axle weights and spacings that affect load effects. This paper
presents the concepts of a new methodology for estimating cost effects of truck weight limit changes on bridges in a transportation
work. The methodology can serve as a tool for studying impacts of such changes. The resulting knowledge is needed
when examining new truck weight limits, several of which have been and are still being debated at both the state and federal levels in the
United States. The development of this estimation method has considered maximizing the use of available data ͑such as the bridge
inventory͒ at the state infrastructure system level. In application pleted ͑but not reported herein͒, the costs for relatively
inadequate strength of existing bridges and for increased design requirement for new bridges were found dominant in the total impact cost.
DOI: -0702͑2008͒13:6͑556͒
CE Database subject headings: Trucks; Costs; Weight; Configuration; Traffic management.
Introduction nation, depending on the scenario of the proposed truck weight
Trucks deliver a significant portion of all goods in the United limit change.
States. In 1998, for example, the highway delivered 77% of the As a response to the TRB Special Report No. 225, Minnesota
total United States freight by weight and 85% by value. It was Department of Transportation ͑DOT͒͑