Research Project

Field Testing of Railroad Flatcar Bridges (TR-498)

Completed Buchanan County RRFC Bridge 4

Side view of two-truck load test

Researcher(s)

Principal investigator: Wayne Klaiber, 515-294-8763, klaiber@iastate.edu (project list)

Co-principal investigators:

Terry Wipf, 515-294-9501, tjwipf@iastate.edu (project list)

Other authors: Holly A. Boomsma, Kristine S. Palmer, Brian Keierleber, and Jim Witt

Student researchers:

Holly Boomsma
Kristine Palmer

Project status

Completed

Start date: 06/01/03
End date: 07/31/06

Publications

Reports:

August 2007, Field Testing of Railroad Flatcar Bridges Volume I: Single Spans 9.5 mb (*pdf)
August 2007, Field Testing of Railroad Flatcar Bridges Volume II: Multiple Spans 5.6 mb (*pdf)

Related publications: Field Testing of Railroad Flatcar Bridges 235 k *pdf (Tech transfer summary) August 2007

*To read pdf files, you may need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Sponsor(s)/partner(s)

Sponsor(s):Iowa Department of Transportation

About the research

Abstract: Based on the conclusions of IHRB Project TR-444, Demonstration Project Using Railroad Flat Car Bridges for Low Volume Road Bridges, additional research on the use of RRFC bridges was undertaken.

This portion of the project investigated the following: --Different design and rating procedures --Additional single span configurations plus multiple span configurations --Different mechanisms for connecting adjacent RRFCs and the resulting lateral load distribution factors --Sheet pile abutments --Behavior RRFCs that had been strengthened so that they could be used on existing abutments.

A total of eight RRFC bridges were tested (five single span bridges, two two-span bridges, and one three-span bridge).

Based on the results of this study a simplified design and rating procedure has been developed for the economical replacement bridge alternative. In Volume 1, this volume, the results from the testing of four single span RRFC bridges are presented, while in Volume 2 the results from the testing of the strengthened single span bridge plus the three multiple span bridges are presented.

2711 S. Loop Drive, Suite 4700, Ames, Iowa 50010-8664
Phone: 515-294-9501 ~ Fax: 515-294-0467
The Bridge Engineering Center is administered by Iowa State University's Institute for Transportation.