TRAFFIC LOAD ASSESSMENT OF BRIDGES BY PERMANENT STRESS MEASUREMENT

A method, as part of a multi-purpose monitoring system for bridges, is described which can be used to gain traffic load information from permanent in-situ stress measurements. Measurements over extended periods can yield valuable data on random traffic loading, such as gross loads classified according to maximum stress, dynamic increments and crossing speed. To verify the results of in-situ measurements, where measured strain signals are evaluated in real-time, signal analysis is performed on a stress time record and the reaction of the bridge structure to a crossing truck is calculated using the Finite Element Method (FEM). Measurement results for a specfic bridge are presented. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 882313.