Bridge Rating Practices for Cranes

Thomas North, P.E.

Structural Engineer
Portland District
14-16 June 2011

US Army Corps of Engineers

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PORTLAND DISTRICT

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PORTLAND DISTRICT

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PORTLAND DISTRICT

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Presentation outline

Differences between vehicular & crane live loads

Permit loads & Strength, Service requirements
Adjustments in impact loads
Differences in axle configurations and load placements
Live load distributions
Adjustments in lane loading requirements

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Background
Oversized and overweight Rough Terrain (RT) & All
Terrain (AT) commercial cranes are used extensively at
Corps projects and continuously cross Corps owned
bridges.
Effects of crane loads on Corps bridges are a frequent
concern due to variability in age, design, construction,
and condition of structures.
The only guidance available for analysis is in LRFD
AASHTO Bridge Design Specifications and LRFR
AASHTO Guide Manual for the Condition Evaluation of
Existing Bridges.
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HL 93 Design Truck
Characteristics of a Design Truck

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Crane Differences-RT

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Crane Differences-AT

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Design Philosophy
Current bridge design criteria adopts a conservative
reliability index, imposes checks to ensure serviceability
and durability without incurring a major cost impact.
During the rating process, conservative evaluation
standards can be prohibitive as load restrictions,
rehabilitation, and replacement become increasingly
necessary.
The rating procedures recognizes a balance between
safety and economics. In most cases, a lower target
reliability than design has been chosen for load rating at
the strength limit state.

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Design Loading Information

Design Load - HL-93 Design Load per AASHTO LRFD
Legal Loads - AASHTO Legal Loads (Type 3, Type 3S2,
Type 3-3
Permit Load - Actual Permit Truck.

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LRFR 6.1.7.1 Design Load Rating

Design load rating is first-level assessment based on the
HL-93 loading and LRFD design standards.
Bridges are screened for strength and serviceability limit
states at LRFD design level of reliability.

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LRFR 6.1.7.2 Legal Load Rating

This second level rating provides a single safe load
capacity for a given truck configuration applicable to
AASHTO and State legal loads.
Liveload factors based on the truck traffic conditions at
the site. Strength is the primary limit state for load rating;
service limit states are selectively applied.
The results of the load rating for legal loads could be
used as a basis for decision making related to load
posting or bridge strengthening.

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LRFR 6.1.7.3 Permit Load Rating

Permit load rating is a check for safety and serviceability
of bridges for passage of vehicles above legally
established weight limitations.
Third level rating that should be applied only to bridges
having sufficient capacity for AASHTO legal loads.

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Basic Rules & Assumptions

Bridge load ratings based on existing structural
conditions, material properties, loads, and traffic
conditions.
To maintain capacity, bridge is assumed to be subject to
inspections at regular intervals.
Changes in existing structural conditions, material
properties, loads, or site traffic conditions could require
re-evaluation

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LRFR Table 6-1,

Limit States & Load Factors

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LRFR, Table 6-6

Permit Load Factors

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LRFR 6.4.4.3 Dynamic Load Allowance:

IM = 33%
Dynamic load allowance primarily a function of pavement
surface conditions.
Smooth riding surface at approaches, deck & expansion
joints, IM = 10%
Minor surface deviations & depressions IM = 20%

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LRFR 6.4.5.5 Dynamic Load

Allowance: IM
The dynamic load allowance to be applied for
permit load rating shall be as specified in Article
6.4.4.3 for legal loads
For slow moving (10 mph or less) permit
vehicles the dynamic load allowance may be
eliminated

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Live Load Distribution Factors

Applying a multi-lane distribution factor to a
loading involving a heavy permit truck in one
lane only is overly conservative. Permit load
rating procedures provided in LRFR Section
6.4.5 should be applied to the review of permits.

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Adjusting Lane Loading Requirements

The live-load factors for permit loads given in
Table 6-6 have been derived for the possibility of
simultaneous presence of non-permit trucks on
the bridge when the permit vehicle crosses the
span.

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Table 4.6.2.2.2b-1 Distribution of

Live Loads Per Lane for Moment
in Interior Beams

Example: Span = 100 ft., Girder Spacing = 6 ft.

1 Lane DF = 0.366
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2 Lane DF = 0.507
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LRFR 6.1.10 Qualifications

and Responsibilities

A licensed
professional
engineer with a
minimum of five
years of bridge
design and
inspection
experience shall be
charged with the
overall responsibility
for bridge-capacity
evaluation.

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Crane Loading Plan-Plan View

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Crane Loading Plan-Section

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Sample Loading Plan Requirements

A Loading Diagram showing wheel loads and wheel
spacing shall be submitted and approved prior to
operating any equipment or vehicles in excess of an HS20 truck load of 72,000 lbs GVW and axle loads of
32,000 lbs.
Prior Government coordination and approval for such
loads shall be obtained before proceeding. No exclusion
trucks, multi-axle specialized hauling vehicles (SHV) or
mobile cranes will be allowed on the dam without prior
review and approval by the Government.
Any SHV's authorized to drive on the dam will at all times
be required to have all lift axles lowered and fully
engaged while the vehicle has any load.

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Summary
Understand the differences between vehicular &
crane live loads
Utilize the permit load requirements for Strength
II design
Adjustment your impact loads if possible
Know where the axle configurations and loads
are being placed
Live load distributions
Make adjustments in lane loading requirements
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Questions?

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