The Chacao Bridge is being built by Ministry of Public Works (MOP) in Chile. Image courtesy of the Santiago Times.
Summary
Roughan and O’Donovan Innovative Solutions (ROD-IS) performed a traffic loading assessment for the Chacao bridge in Chile, a suspension bridge comprising two main spans of 1100m and connecting the island of Chiloé with mainland Chile.
Highlight
The results of our study provided our client with sufficient confidence in the HL-93 live load model to move forward with the design and construction of this iconic bridge.
Solution
Our assessment focused on whether the model used for bridge design in the United States of America (USA), AASHTO HL-93 live load model, was appropriate for modelling Chilean traffic loading.
Key tasks included:
- Analysis of traffic data from Chile
- Modelling of long span traffic loading
- Comparison of traffic loading in Chile and the USA
Challenges
As stationary congested traffic is critical for long span bridges, we needed to model different traffic mixes of cars and trucks on the bridge in fully congested conditions.
By developing a simple method for modelling different traffic conditions, we could produce our results quickly and efficiently, without delaying the design of the bridge.
Services provided:
- Traffic load modelling
- Data analysis