ABSTRACT
Bridge load testing is widely used for assessing bridge structural behavior and may be preferred over other means, since it is capable of capturing the actual response of structures. However, load testing is complex and requires careful consideration of several activities that precede its execution. This chapter describes the planning, coordination, scheduling, execution, and data analysis of a load test using an example of a highly skewed prestressed concrete girder/reinforced concrete deck bridge under service loads. The load test allowed the evaluation of the effects of high skew angles and mixed pier support fixity arrangements on girder load distribution behavior and deck performance.
