Vehicular loading on bridge roadways represents which category of loads?

• A. Live loads on highway bridges
• B. Dead loads on bridges
• C. Wind loads
• D. Seismic loads

Answer: (D)

Vehicular loading on bridge roadways is a live load. Live loads come from non-permanent, time-varying forces such as moving vehicles and pedestrians, which change in magnitude and location as traffic flows. This distinguishes them from dead loads, which are the permanent self-weight of the structure and fixed attachments, and from environmental loads like wind and seismic forces. In highway-bridge design, engineers use standard live-load models to represent typical vehicle configurations and apply factors to account for the dynamic (impact) effects of moving vehicles. Thus, vehicular loading is best described as a live load on highway bridges.