Over the past three years, DJ&A has worked with Region 8 to complete 151 load ratings in the Kisatchie, Ouachita, and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.
For each load rating, DJ&A sent a team of engineers to the site to evaluate the bridge condition for issues that could affect the load rating results and confirm the information in the most recent Forest Service bridge inspection. DJ&A also worked with the local Forest Service employees and visited the Louisiana State Department of Transportation to search through their archives and track down as-built drawings with the bridge details needed to complete some of the load rating calculations.
Following the site visit, load rating calculations were performed for each bridge. The analyses were summarized in individual bridge load rating reports with a summary indicating the load rating, controlling element and recommended posting load, if necessary.
In addition to load rating the superstructures, DJ&A engineers also provided evaluations of the substructure for issues caused by decay or scour and recommended further monitoring where required. In cases where as-built plans were not found and sufficient information to perform load rating calculations was not available, DJ&A engineers provided an approximate load rating based on national criteria including factors such as the structure age, current condition and original design load.
Bridge types included treated timer, cast-in-place and prestressed concrete, structural steel, and steel military surplus bridges.
Key Services
- Prepared job hazard analysis
- Completed field site visit
- Calculated load ratings for 151 bridges
- Provided recommendations for found bridge deficiencies
- Compiled Bridge Load Rating report
Value Added
This project demonstrates that DJ&A offers considerable value to geographically distant regions.
