In the past few years, Institute of Bridge Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, China, have field appraised about 40 bridges in Gansu Province, the vast northwestern territory in China. Under China's Western Development Plan, these projects were sponsored by the Department of Transportation of Gansu Province, Highway Bureau of Gansu Province, Highway Maintenance Center of Lanzhou City, and others. Among those tested bridges, there are various types of cross sections, including cored slab, T-shape, truss, frame and double-curved arch bridge. Some of the tested bridges are used as highway bridges for crossing the road, rapid flood passage, Yellow River, and railway. Some are railway bridges and pedestrian bridges. According to the Code of Maintenance of Highway Bridges and Culverts, Specification for Inspection and Evaluation of Load-bearing Capacity of Highway Bridge, Code for Rating Existing Railway Bridges and other relevant code of China, the major content of bridge appraisal should consist of visual inspection, strength, stiffness, and dynamic performance. The value of strain, deformation, and acceleration/velocity were field measured by static/dynamic test systems. The collaboration of two institutes, IBE, Lanzhou University of Technology in China and the BEST Center, University of Maryland in the United States, involves testing technology, damage identification and analysis. This paper will demonstrate the similarities and differences of bridge testing practices.
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