The Ontario Highway Bridge Design Code (OHBDC) contains provisions on dynamic load and vibration that are substantially different from other codes. Dynamic testing of 27 bridges of various configurations, of steel, timber, and concrete construction, and with spans from 5 to 122 m was undertaken to obtain comprehensive data to support OHBDC provisions. Standardized instrumentation, data acquisition, and test and data processing procedures were used for all bridge tests. Data was gathered from passing trucks, and scheduled runs by test vehicles of various weights. Accelerometer reposnses were used to determine bridge vibration modes, and dynamic amplifications were obtained from displacement or strain measurements. Observations on the distribution of dynamic load, and its relationship to span length and vehicle weight, may provide a basis for future refinement of the dynamic load provisions. 13 refs.
