Bridges & Structures

Load Rating

• Concrete Bridge Shear Load Rating Guide and Examples: Using the Modified Compression Field Theory, Publication No: FHWA-HIF-22-025 (04/2022)
• Tunnel Load Rating Examples: A Supplement to the Reference Guide for Load Rating of Tunnel Structures, Publication No. FHWA-HIF-20-058 (12/2020)
• Reference Guide for Load Rating of Tunnel Structures (05/2019)
• Manual for Refined Analysis in Bridge Design and Evaluation (05/2019)
• Report on Techniques for Bridge Strengthening (04/2019)
• Load Rating Policy and Guidance
• Load Rating for the FAST Act's Emergency Vehicles (11/03/2016)
  • Questions and Answers Revision R01 (03/16/2018)
• Load Rating of Specialized Hauling Vehicles (11/15/2013)
  • Questions and Answers (03/2014)
• Assigned Load Ratings (09/28/2011)
• America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) Truck Size and Weight Provisions Guidance (02/24/2016)
• Assuring Bridge Safety and Serviceability in Europe (08/2010)

Research and Publications

• Advancing Bridge Load Rating: State of Practice and Frameworks (2022) (.pdf)
• Truck Platooning Impacts on Bridges: Phase I – Structural Safety (2021) (.pdf)
• Concrete Bridge Shear Load Rating Synthesis Report (2018) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 12-28/Report 301 - Load Capacity Evaluation of Existing Bridges (1989) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 12-46/Report 454 - Calibration of Load Factors for LRFR Bridge Evaluation (2001) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 12-46 Web Document - Manual for Condition Evaluation and Load Rating of Highway Bridges Using Load and Resistance Factor Philosophy (2001) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 20-07 (Task 122) - Load Rating by Load and Resistance Factor Evaluation Method (2005) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 20-05 (Topic 36-01)/Synthesis 359 - Bridge Rating Practices and Policies for Overweight Vehicles (2006) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 12-63/Report 575 - Legal Truck Loads and AASHTO Legal Loads for Posting (2006) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 12-78/Report 700 - A Comparison of AASHTO Bridge Load Rating Methods (2011) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 20-07 (Task 285) - Recalibration of LRFR Live Load Factors in the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation (2011) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 20-05 (Topic 44-15)/Synthesis 453 - State Bridge Load Posting Processes and Practices (2014) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 20-68A, Scan 12-01, US Domestic Scan - Advances in State DOT Superload Permit Processes and Practices (2014) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 15-54/ Web-Only Document 268 - Proposed Modifications to AASHTO Culvert Load Rating Specifications (2019) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 20-07/Task 410 - Load Rating for the Fast Act Emergency Vehicles Ev-2 and Ev-3 (2019) (.pdf)
• NCHRP 12-110 - Proposed New AASHTO Load Rating Provisions for Implements of Husbandry (2019)
• NCHRP 12-123 - Proposed AASHTO Guideline for Load Rating of Segmental Bridges (active)

Training Courses

• FHWA-NHI-130092: Load and Resistance Factor Rating of Highway Bridges

Events

Recorded Webinars

Registration is required. You can register for an account at https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/lrfrreg/event/registration.html.

• Webinar No. 1: Implementation of the Load and Resistance Factor Rating Method (10/05/2011)
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
• Webinar No. 2: LRFD/LRFR Design and Load Rating of Culverts (11/17/2011)
• Webinar No. 3: LRFR Load Rating of Segmental Concrete Bridges (01/19/2012)
• Webinar No. 4: State-Specific LRFR Load Rating Guidelines (04/19/2012)
• Webinar No. 5: Application of Load Testing in Bridge Load Rating (1) (09/20/2012)
• Webinar No. 6: Application of Load Testing in Bridge Load Rating (2) (12/06/2012)
• Webinar No. 7: Application of Computer Software in Bridge Load Rating (1) (02/28/2013)
• Webinar No. 8: Application of Computer Software in Bridge Load Rating (2) (04/25/2013)
• Webinar No. 9: Load Rating of Steel Truss Bridges (1) (09/12/2013)
• Webinar No. 10: Load Rating of Steel Truss Bridges (2) (12/17/2013)
• Webinar No. 11: Load Rating and Posting for Specialized Hauling Vehicles (03/12/2014)
• Webinar No. 12: A Comparison of AASHTO Bridge Load Rating Methods (05/29/2014)
• Webinar No. 13: Bridge Load Rating for Overweight Load Permitting (10/20/2014)
• Webinar No. 14: Bridge Load Rating for Overweight Load Permitting - State's Practice (1) (12/18/2014)
• Webinar No. 15: Bridge Load Rating for Overweight Load Permitting - State's Practice (2) (03/25/2015)
• Webinar No. 16: Bridge Load Rating for Overweight Load Permitting - State's Practice (3) (05/19/2015)
• Webinar No. 17: Federal Bridge Formula Weights and State-Specific Legal Loads (10/21/2015)
• Webinar No. 18: Bridge Load Rating and Posting for State-Specific Legal Loads (1) (02/24/2016)
• Webinar No. 19: Load Rating of Gusset Plates (10/11/2016)
• Webinar No. 20: Load Rating of Complex Bridges (1) (12/01/16)
• Webinar No. 21: Load Rating and Posting for State-Specific Legal Loads (2) (03/15/2017)
• Webinar No. 22: Bridge Load Rating and Posting - States' Practices (1) (10/31/2017)
• Webinar No. 23: Load Rating of Complex Bridges (2) (02/20/2018)
• Webinar No. 24: Bridge Load Rating for the FAST Act Emergency Vehicles (05/23/2018)
• Webinar No. 25: Bridge Load Rating and Posting - States' Practices (2) (11/29/2018)
• Webinar No. 26: Load Rating of Concrete Bridges without Plans (12/19/2018)
• Webinar No. 27: Refined Structural Analysis for Highway Bridges (06/18/2019)
• Webinar No. 28: Load Rating of Tunnel Structures (10/29/2019)
• Webinar No. 29: Introduction to the NHI Course 130092 Load and Resistance Factor Rating of Highway Bridges (12/19/2019)
• Webinar No. 30: Bridge Load Testing for Load Rating (04/09/2020)
• Webinar No. 31: Recent Research to Support Improvement to VDOT's Bridge Load Rating Program (11/12/2020)
• Webinar No. 32: Bridge Load Rating for Implements of Husbandry (03/25/2021)
• Webinar No. 33: Vehicular Loadings on Highway Bridges (1) (10/28/2021)
• Webinar No. 34: Vehicular Loadings on Highway Bridges (2) (3/3/2022)
• Webinar No. 35: Application of the Modified Compression Field Theory in Concrete Bridge Shear Load Rating (11/2/2022)
• Webinar No. 36: Load Rating of Bridges and Culverts with Missing or Incomplete As-Built Information (1/25/2023)
• Webinar No. 37: Bridge Load Rating: State of the Practice and Frameworks (4/25/2023)
• Webinar No. 38: Bridge Load Rating and Beyond: FHWA Updates (10/24/2023)
• Webinar No. 39: Bridge Load Rating - Case Studies (1) (2/7/2024)

Related Information

• Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD)
• T 5140.31 Inspection of Gusset Plates Using Non-Destructive Evaluation Technologies (01/29/2010)
• T 5140.29 Load-carrying Capacity Considerations of Gusset Plates in Non-load-path-redundant Steel Truss Bridges (01/15/2008)