Probabilistic Gross Vehicle Weights and Associated Axle Loads for Military Vehicles in Bridge Evaluation and Code Calibration

Authors

  • Andrew James MacDonald Design Engineer, McCall Engineering Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • F. Michael Bartlett Faculty of Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
  • R. Gordon Wight Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3849/aimt.01178

Keywords:

highway bridge design, highway bridge evaluation, military vehicle, gross vehicle weight, military engineering

Abstract

Military vehicles frequently use civilian bridges. The loading effects of military vehicles, both wheeled and tracked, are specific and different than those of civilian vehicles in normal traffic. Calibration to determine appropriate load factors for military loading of civilian bridges has not been fully performed and the corresponding levels of safety have not been quantified. This is partially due to the lack of probabilistic information of the gross vehicle weights and corresponding axle loads of military vehicles while operating in real-world conditions. This paper quantifies probabilistically the gross vehicle weight and axle loads for three military vehicles in use by NATO, each of which is representative of: military transport vehicles; armoured personnel carriers; and main battle tanks. A general means are proposed to quantify the probabilistic gross vehicle weight of military vehicles on the basis of maximum nominal payload as a proportion of the total nominal vehicle weight. Based on observed probabilistic gross vehicle weight of military vehicles, it is recommended to differentiate between military transport and military fighting vehicles as different categories of vehicles in bridge evaluation.

Author Biographies

  • Andrew James MacDonald, Design Engineer, McCall Engineering Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

    Design Engineer at McCall Engineering Ltd. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

  • F. Michael Bartlett, Faculty of Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies)Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western Engineering, London, Canada 
    And
    Adjunct Professor Dept of Civil Engineering / Département de génie civil Royal Military College of Canada / Collège militaire royal du Canada

  • R. Gordon Wight, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    Professor / Professeur
    Dept of Civil Engineering / Département de génie civil Royal Military College of Canada / Collège militaire royal du Canada

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Published

18-09-2017

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Research Paper

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How to Cite

MacDonald, A. J., Bartlett, F. M., & Wight, R. G. (2017). Probabilistic Gross Vehicle Weights and Associated Axle Loads for Military Vehicles in Bridge Evaluation and Code Calibration. Advances in Military Technology, 12(1), 129-145. https://doi.org/10.3849/aimt.01178

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