ABSTRACT
Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (B-WIM) systems use the bridge deck itself as a scale for the estimation of the vehicle gross weight and axle loads. This implies that the performance of a B-WIM is strongly dependent on the bridge structure, even more than on the quality of the sensors used for collecting the raw data necessary to derive the WIM results. This paper describes the feedback of the use of B-WIM systems by OSMOS Group since 2018, focusing on the incidence of the bridge deck material and geometry on the WIM results. The feedback relies on a sample of fifteen different bridges of various types, including reinforced concrete slab or beam girder decks, steel truss bridges, composite decks with steel beam girders, and prestressed concrete beam or box girders. The incidence of geometrical parameters is discussed, with span length from 10 m to 50 m, a number of main beam girders from two to ten, and also some bridges with a significant skew angle. The examples are located mainly in France and Italy, but also in Asia and the Middle East. Based on this feedback, some general guidelines are given for the applicability of B-WIM on different types of bridges, and cases for which the expected performance is the best are pointed out. Further improvements of the B-WIM system are finally discussed, to deal with the conditions which still induce some difficulties for an efficient B-WIM.
