Which load is defined as the self-weight of bridge elements such as the deck slab, wearing coat, railings, parapet, stiffeners, and other utilities?

• A. Bridge Loads
• B. Live Load
• C. Dead Load
• D. Thermal Stresses

Answer: (C)

Self-weight is a permanent, unchanging load that comes from the structure’s own mass. The deck slab, wearing surface, railings, parapets, stiffeners, and installed utilities all contribute a constant weight that exists regardless of traffic or usage, so they fall under dead load. Live load, in contrast, comes from moving or temporary loads such as vehicles and pedestrians and varies over time. Thermal stresses arise from temperature changes causing expansion or contraction and are treated as temperature-induced effects rather than a basic load category like dead or live. While “Bridge Loads” can refer to all loads acting on the structure, the specific self-weight of these elements is categorized as dead load.