ABSTRACT
Load testing of new and existing bridges was performed regularly in Sweden up to the 1960s. It was then abandoned due to high costs versus little extra information obtained. Most bridges behaved well in the serviceability limit range and no knowledge of the ultimate limit stage could be obtained without destroying the bridge. At the same time the methods for calculating the capacity developed and new numerical methods were introduced. Detailed rules were given on how these methods should be used. Some decommissioned bridges were tested to their maximum capacity to be able to study their failure mechanisms and to calibrate the numerical methods. In this chapter, some examples are given on how allowable loads have increased over the years and of tests being performed. Nowadays, load testing may be on its way back, especially to test existing rural prestressed concrete bridges, where no design calculations have been retained.
