Load Rating

When the Mode is set to Rating (on the main tab at the top of the LEAP Bridge Steel main window) LEAP Bridge Steel is in load rating mode. LEAP Bridge Steel currently supports Design Inventory and Design Operating rating. See instructions under Mode Tab for instructions to create load rating models from the design model or other rating models.

All of the LEAP Bridge Steel commands function in the same manner as they do when in Design mode. Commands that are not pertinent to load rating are excluded (grayed out). The excluded commands are:

All Roadway Elements commands.
Pier/Abutment Locations.
Member Groups.
All Substructure commands.

Load Rating Combinations:

Design Inventory (Strength I) and Design Operating (Strength II) combinations are currently supported by LEAP Bridge Steel. When the Loads command is selected all load cases that were created previously in Design mode or a previous rating session will be visible. Load cases for rating will include all automatically generated DC1, DC2 and DW loads. Also, the default truck is HL-93. The user can modify or add loads to be load combinations as desired. Loads are added by drag and drop from the load combination list.

The default load rating combinations are shown below:

Double click on the load combination name (red arrows) to see the Rating combination factors (load, condition and system factors) that will be used by LEAP Bridge Steel. The rating type (limit state) can be changed by using the drop down list shown. All related default factors for the selected combination type will be shown. These values can be modified by the user as needed.

To add additional rating combinations hover over the rating combination area and press the right mouse button. The pop-up dialog shown below will appear. If the Add command is selected a new combination will be added to the combination list called "Comb-1". Double click on the new combination name to edit the combination, including changing the name from Comb-1 to any user defined name.