INSTITUTE UIE

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BE (Civil)
Design of Bridge Structures
(20CEA414)

Topic:
Instructor:
Loads on Bridges DR. MOHIT BHANDARI
 Loads on Bridges: Refer IRC 6: 2017 for all load types

While designing the bridges the following loads and forces should be considered where applicable.
1. Dead load.
2. Live load
3. Dynamic load
4. Longitudinal forces
a. Longitudinal forces by the tractive effort of vehicles
b. Longitudinal forces by braking of vehicles
c. Longitudinal forces due to frictional resistance of expansion bearings
5. Wind load
6. Centrifugal forces of vehicle due to curvature of bridge
7. Horizontal forces due to water currents
8. Buoyancy
9. Force exerted by earth pressure
10. Load induced by temperature variation effect
11. Load induced by creep, shrinkage and other secondary effect
12. Erection load
13. Loads induced by earthquake

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 Loads on Bridges
1. Dead Load: The dead load carried by a bridge member consists of its own weight and the portions of the weight of

the superstructure and any fixed loads supported by the member. The dead load can be estimated fairly accurately

during design and can be controlled during construction and service.

2. Live Load: IRC Live Loads Live loads are those caused by vehicles which pass over the bridge and are transient in

nature. These loads cannot be estimated precisely, and the designer has very little control over them once the bridge

is opened to traffic. However, hypothetical loadings which are reasonably realistic need to be evolved and specified

to serve as design criteria. There are four types of standard loadings for which road bridges are designed:
a. Class AA Loading
b. Class 70 R Loading
c. Class A Loading
d. Class B Loading 3
Loads on Bridges

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Live Loads

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 Live Load: Class AA Loading
 This is treated as a heavy loading and is meant to be used for bridges for construction in a certain industrial areas
and other specified areas and highways.
 The IRC class AA loading has two patterns:
o Tracked Types (Army Tank): 700 kN or 70 tonnes
o Wheeled type: 400 kN or 40 tonnes

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Live Load: Class AA Loading

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 Live Load: Class 70R Loading

IRC 70 R loading consists of the following three types of vehicles.

(a) Tracked vehicle of total load 700 kN with two tracks each weighing 350 kN.
(b) Wheeled vehicle comprising 4 wheels, each with a load of 100 kN totaling 400 kN.
(c) Wheeled vehicle with a train of vehicles on seven axles with a total load of 1000 kN.
(d) The tracked vehicle is somewhat similar to that of Class AA, except that the contact length of the track is 4.87 m, the
nose to tail length of the vehicle is 7.92 m and the specified minimum spacing between successive vehicles is 30 m.
The wheeled vehicle is 15.22 m long and has seven axles with the loads totaling to 1000 kN. The bogie axle type
loading with 4 wheels totaling 400 kN is also specified.
(e) The 700 kN tracked vehicle is common to both the classes, the only difference being the loaded length which is
slightly more for the Class 70 R. The second category is the wheeled type comprising 1000 kN train of vehicles on
seven axles for the Class 70 R and a 400 kN bogie axle type vehicle for the Class AA.

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Live Load: Class 70R Loading

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Live Load: Class 70R Loading

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Live Load: Class A/B Loading

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Loads on Bridges

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Loads on Bridges

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Loads on Bridges

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 Loads on Bridges: IRC 6-2016, Pg 30-31
3. Impact Load:

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Loads on Bridges: IRC 6-2016, Pg 30-31

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