Extreme Load Combinations: A Survey of State Bridge Engineers

Keywords: Multi-hazard load and resistance factor design (MH-LRFD) framework.  Bridges.  Surveys.  Highway infrastructure.  Cascading events.  Design limit state equations.  Scour.  Seismic loads.  Vessel collision.  Wind loads.  Vehicular collision.  Fire.

Abstract: A survey on multi-hazard bridge design was sent to state bridge engineers to obtain their opinions on the importance of potential extreme hazard loads and their combinations, including cascading events.  A Multi-Hazard Design Workshop was organized to review, interpret and disseminate the survey results to the participants, and to further discuss the potential issues in the development of a multi-hazard load and resistance factor design (MH-LRFD) framework.  In accordance with the results from both the survey and the workshop, the goal of the MCEER project is to establish a MH-LRFD framework, together with the development of several selected design limit state equations to illustrate the principles and methodologies of the framework.