Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation

Existing rating methods estimate bridge loading capacity and demand from secondary actions due to live loads in the primary structural components. In these methods, uniaxial yielding stress is traditionally used to detect component capacity using either stress quantities or shear-moment actions to c...

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Main Authors: Ali Karimpour, Salam Rahmatalla, Hossein Bolboli Ghadikolaee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Advances in Civil Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/2244202
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author Ali Karimpour
Salam Rahmatalla
Hossein Bolboli Ghadikolaee
author_facet Ali Karimpour
Salam Rahmatalla
Hossein Bolboli Ghadikolaee
author_sort Ali Karimpour
collection DOAJ
description Existing rating methods estimate bridge loading capacity and demand from secondary actions due to live loads in the primary structural components. In these methods, uniaxial yielding stress is traditionally used to detect component capacity using either stress quantities or shear-moment actions to compute the capacity demand of the bridge. These approximations can lead to uncertainties in load capacity estimation. This article presents the weight-over process (WOP), a novel computer-aided approach to bridge loading capacity evaluation based on tonnage and rating factor estimation. WOP is expected to capture different forms of failure in a more general manner than existing methods. In WOP, a bridge finite element model (FEM) is discretized into many sections and element sets, each containing a single material type, and each assigned a suitable 3D failure criterion. Then, factored gross vehicle weights (GVWs) are incrementally imposed on the bridge FEM with those predefined ultimate unfavored loading scenarios in a manner similar to proof load testing. WOP code runs nonlinear analysis at each increment until a stopping criterion is met. Two representative bridges were selected to confirm WOP’s feasibility and efficacy. The results showed that WOP-predicted values at the interior girders were between those of the conventional AASHTO and the nondestructive testing (NDT) strain measurement methods. That may put WOP in a favorable zone as a new method that is less conservative than AASHTO but more conservative than real NDT testing.
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spelling doaj-art-45f0a43a3e4c4163bfe653e40e54e9fe2025-08-20T03:36:12ZengWileyAdvances in Civil Engineering1687-80942021-01-01202110.1155/2021/2244202Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor EstimationAli Karimpour0Salam Rahmatalla1Hossein Bolboli Ghadikolaee2Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringDepartment of Civil and Environmental EngineeringHydraulic StructuresExisting rating methods estimate bridge loading capacity and demand from secondary actions due to live loads in the primary structural components. In these methods, uniaxial yielding stress is traditionally used to detect component capacity using either stress quantities or shear-moment actions to compute the capacity demand of the bridge. These approximations can lead to uncertainties in load capacity estimation. This article presents the weight-over process (WOP), a novel computer-aided approach to bridge loading capacity evaluation based on tonnage and rating factor estimation. WOP is expected to capture different forms of failure in a more general manner than existing methods. In WOP, a bridge finite element model (FEM) is discretized into many sections and element sets, each containing a single material type, and each assigned a suitable 3D failure criterion. Then, factored gross vehicle weights (GVWs) are incrementally imposed on the bridge FEM with those predefined ultimate unfavored loading scenarios in a manner similar to proof load testing. WOP code runs nonlinear analysis at each increment until a stopping criterion is met. Two representative bridges were selected to confirm WOP’s feasibility and efficacy. The results showed that WOP-predicted values at the interior girders were between those of the conventional AASHTO and the nondestructive testing (NDT) strain measurement methods. That may put WOP in a favorable zone as a new method that is less conservative than AASHTO but more conservative than real NDT testing.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/2244202
spellingShingle Ali Karimpour
Salam Rahmatalla
Hossein Bolboli Ghadikolaee
Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation
Advances in Civil Engineering
title Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation
title_full Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation
title_fullStr Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation
title_full_unstemmed Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation
title_short Finite Element Model-Based Weight-Over Process Philosophy for Bridge Loading Capacity Evaluation and Rating Factor Estimation
title_sort finite element model based weight over process philosophy for bridge loading capacity evaluation and rating factor estimation
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/2244202
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AT salamrahmatalla finiteelementmodelbasedweightoverprocessphilosophyforbridgeloadingcapacityevaluationandratingfactorestimation
AT hosseinbolbolighadikolaee finiteelementmodelbasedweightoverprocessphilosophyforbridgeloadingcapacityevaluationandratingfactorestimation