详情

RES2013-35: Load Rating of Concrete Culverts in Tennessee Under New Emergency Vehicle Loads

项目名称：	RES2013-35: Load Rating of Concrete Culverts in Tennessee Under New Emergency Vehicle Loads
摘要：	The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act changed the existing weight limit restrictions for highway vehicles. The new restrictions allow for emergency vehicles to traverse highways without acquiring permits. The FHWA has now required state transportation departments to load rate all structures within a mile of the interstate system for two new loading configurations. The configurations are named EV2 and EV3 and are evaluated as legal loads per the LRFR method. The FHWA also developed a new load posting procedure based on the rating results of the new emergency vehicle configurations. The main objective of this research project was to compile a database of culvert ratings for new emergency vehicle loading to determine the effects of new emergency vehicle loads on culverts in Tennessee. TDOT provided all pertinent culvert information. Structural computer models for all of the culverts were built using the software program AASHTOWare. The culverts were load rated for different loading configurations. Upon completion of load rating the culverts affected by new emergency vehicles, it was found that all EV3 ratings and some EV2 ratings were less than HL-93 operating ratings. Some culverts’ ratings are sufficient for HL-93 loading, but are insufficient for the new emergency vehicle loading. EV2 and EV3 are heavier and shorter than HL-93 loading, and they are not compliant with federal bridge formula B weight restrictions. The new emergency vehicle load posting procedure and the relatively smaller EV2 and EV3 load ratings significantly impact recommended load postings for culverts in Tennessee. The correlations found between HL-93 and emergency vehicle load ratings are strong and can be used to reasonably estimate EV2 and EV3 ratings when HL-93 ratings are available.
状态：	Completed
资金：	128613
资助组织：	Tennessee Department of Transportation
执行机构：	Tennessee Tech University
开始时间：	20130613
预计完成日期：	20190330
主题领域：	Bridges and other structures；Highways；Materials