Bridge load testing is one of the tools engineers are using for the assessment of existing bridges, which is becoming increasingly important to manage the existing bridge stock in a sustainable manner. Over the past years, various research groups have worked on theoretical and practical research regarding load testing. Moreover, various international committee work on load testing recommendations. This paper provides an overview of recent research efforts in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The way in which recent research efforts are implemented in new committee reports and guidelines is highlighted. Overall, the efforts have focused on combining load testing with insights in structural behavior, applying improved instrumentation techniques, combining with numerical analyses, and providing a probabilistic substantiation. In conclusion: bridge load testing is a dynamic field of research that benefits from international collaboration. Further improvements to existing codes and guidelines will be forthcoming in the next years.

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This chapter discusses the aspects related to the preparation of load tests, regardless of the chosen type of load test. After determination of the test objectives, the first step should be a technical inspection of the bridge and bridge site. With this information, the preparatory calculations (assessment for existing bridges and expected behavior during the test) can be carried out. Once the analytical results are available, the practical aspects of testing can be prepared: planning, required personnel, method for applying the load, considerations regarding traffic control and safety, and the development of the sensor and data acquisition plan. It is good practice to summarize all preparatory aspects in a preparation report and provide this information to the client/owner and all parties involved with the load test.@en

This chapter discusses aspects that should be considered prior to every load test. The first questions that needs to be answered are “Is this bridge suitable for load testing?” and “If so, what are the goals of the load test?” To answer these questions, information must be gathered and preliminary calculations should be carried out. In order to evaluate if a bridge is suitable for load testing, different types of testing are shown, the topic of when to load test a bridge is discussed, and structure type considerations are debated. Finally, some safety precautions that should be fulfilled during a load test are discussed.@en

This chapter discusses the aspects related to processing the results of a load test after the test. The way in which the data are processed depends on the goals of the test. As such, the report that summarizes the preparation, execution, and post-processing of the load test should clearly state the goal of the load test, how the test addressed this goal, and what can be concluded based on an analysis of the test results. Typical elements of the post-processing stage include discussing the applied load, the measured structural responses, and then evaluating the bridge based on the results of the load test.@en

This chapter discusses the aspects related to the execution of load tests regardless of the chosen type of load test. The main elements required for the execution of the load test are the equipment for applying the load and the equipment for measuring and displaying (if required) the structural responses. This chapter reviews the commonly used equipment for applying the loading and discusses all aspects related to the measurements. The next topic is the practical aspects related to the execution. This topic deals with communication on site during the load test and important safety aspects during a load test.@en