2024/01/15 by Alejandro Hernández-Martínez, Hernandez-Martinez, Alejandro, Adrián-David García-Soto +3
Engineering · #Computational Engineering #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Finance #Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems #Infrastructure Maintenance and Monitoring #Structural Health Monitoring Techniques #and Science (cs.CE)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2403.18825
openalex publication_date 2024/01/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The present paper assesses the efficacy of code live-load models in accurately estimating the vehicular loads transferred to bridge substructures, such as abutments, piers, and foundations. Realistic traffic vehicle data are represented using four Weigh-in-Motion databases, which provide an authentic representation of vehicle information, thus providing a realistic basis for the examination of the bridges studied. The evaluation includes various bridge models, such as single-span girder bridges and two-, three-, and four-span continuous pinned-support girder bridges. By analyzing exceedance rates, the study compares the extreme force values obtained for vehicles in the databases with those predicted by selected code live-load models. These exceedance rates are presented in spectra format, as a function of the span length. The significant variations observed in the exceedance rates highlight the need for improving existing code live-load models to achieve more accurate estimations of the forces transferred to bridge substructures. Such improvements would lead to more uniform reliability levels for any limit state, such as resistance, fatigue, serviceability, and cracking.