Services
Bridge Rating
ARE’s experienced and trained engineers prepare bridge ratings and load bearing capacity of railroad bridges – measuring the structural integrity of railroad bridges based on original plans adjusted by current conditions.
A Tool for Strategic Asset Management Decisions
Railroads have a need to understand the capacity of their bridges to carry current and expected loads. Our engineering team has rated thousands of railroad bridges throughout the country, and has developed programming to evaluate all bridge types. Our internal processes are continually assessed to improve the deliverables to our clients and the efficiencies of our team. We have structured procedures for bridge ratings and inspections that result in a thorough analysis of our clients’ capital facilities.
Bridge Rating Case Studies
NPBL Rating Analysis
ARE, using the standard Cooper Loading, determined the capacity ratings of the bridge’s main load carrying members and the Cooper Equivalent loading demands of their equipment. We obtained all available bridge plans and records of bridge repairs and as-built plans. We also obtained information on current, past, and possible future traffic levels, operational speeds, and train consist make-ups including locomotives used or planned to be used. The above information was used to determine the safe load capacity (rating) for their bridges and bridge capacity information for potential future traffic growth.
Lake State Railway System Wide Bridge Rating
Prepared baseline rating calculations, and ongoing annual updates based on current conditions.
Numerous Truss Ratings, KNWA Railroad
Performing detailed inspection and truss rating for several bridges on the KNWA railroad.