Axle Load Monitoring of Multiple Vehicles Using Dynamic Bridge Responses

A practical approach of axle load identification of multiple vehicles using continuous bridge bending moment is presented. Axle loads are identified using least squares regularization method via the updated static component (USC) technique in order to improve solution accuracy and calculation robustness. A parametric study considering effects of various characteristics of vehicles- bridge system including vehicle mass, moving speed, axle spacing, axle weight ratio, vehicle type and bridge surface roughness is performed. The experimental verification is carried out through a scaled model of vehicles/bridge system. Comparison on different schemes of moving characteristic including following movement and overtaking movement is also considered and discussed. The obtained results indicate that identification of vehicle axle load of multiple vehicles is very effective and robust for all moving schemes of multiple vehicle travel when the USC technique is applied.