Guidance for Field Evaluations and Load Ratings of Bridges with Limited or Missing As-Built Data

About the project:

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posts or restricts allowable gross vehicular weight on a bridge at a conservative level when a structure has no as-built plans available. Even if plans are available, deterioration – detected or not – and missing pertinent design details can make the rating process more complex.

Because VDOT has a large number of such bridges, these load restrictions can affect the level of commerce across Virginia.

This project will develop a “state of the current practice” for VDOT regarding analytical rating practices, augmented by rapid and reliable in-service field evaluation of structures – including nondestructive methods or in-service monitoring – for load-rating purposes.

This synthesis should allow VDOT to use the results to develop a plan to perform these load ratings in-house, create a collaborative partnership with universities or contract these services, with the goal of increasing or eliminating the posting of bridges in a safe manner.

Project Team

Principal Investigators

Other Investigators