Comparison of Bridge Live Loads in US and Europe

Abstract

The US and European bridge design codes were developed based on a limited amount of traffic data. The design live load for AASHTO LRFD code used in the US is based on traffic data collected by Ontario Ministry of Transportation in 1970s. Eurocode was initially developed using traffic data collected within few weeks in Auxerre, France in the 1980s. An extensive Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) data can serve as a basis to verify the design live load model. The objective of this paper is to analyze and compare statistical parameters of a live load in the US and Europe using available WIM data. WIM measurements from 44 locations in 20 states around the US from 2005 till 2014, containing 118 million records are used. Also, WIM measurements from European countries (Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia) of about 2 million vehicles are used. The statistical parameters of US are similar to Europe, and US traffic data can be used to recalibrate European bridge design code if required. Also, site-specific live load model in the US can be developed using the statistical parameters developed in this study and also can serve as basis to update national live load model in the US.