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Three highway bridges in the Canadian province of Manitoba are being monitored continuously not only for their long-term performance but also for bridge weighing-in-motion (BWIM). Data collected for the BWIM study has led to some observations that have far-reaching consequences about the design and evaluation loads for highway bridges. This paper presents the well-known concept of equivalent base length, Bm, as a useful tool for comparing trucks with different axle weight and spacing configurations as they influence load effects in all bridges. It is discussed that the statistics of gross vehicle weights (GVWs), W, collected over a one-month period is not significantly different from that for the GVW data collected over a longer period. A rational method concludes that the value of W for the CL-W Truck, the design live load specified by the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code, is 555 kN for Manitoba. The observed truck data in Manitoba presented on the W–Bm space is found to be similar to that collected in the Canadian province of Ontario more than four decades ago. It was also found that the multi-presence factors, accounting for the presence of side-by-side trucks in two-lane bridges, specified in North American bridge design and evaluation codes are somewhat conservative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a myriad of laws, regulations, and policies governing the operating weights and dimensions of trucks. In Canada and many northern states, these regulations form a continuum of basic limits, seasonal variations, and overweight/overdimension limits that are legally permitted. This paper deals with the seasonal aspects of weight limits (winter weight premiums and spring weight restrictions) governing trucking within and to and from the prairie region. This region encompasses Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, and the northern tier states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. The paper presents results of research conducted for the transportation departments of the three prairie provinces and Public Works and Government Services Canada. It discusses existing winter weight premium and spring weight restriction regulations, as well as basic weight regulations in the region, and their technical rationale. It examines possibilities for using advanced technologies to help harmonize and rationalize seasonal truck size and weight regulations and enforcement practices, and identifies immediate opportunities for rationalization and harmonization of spring weight restrictions and winter weight premiums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All wood utility poles require an effective maintenance program to ensure safe and reliable service. The end of a wood utility pole's useful life can be attributed to several factors, including decay, mechanical damage, weathering, and changing design requirements. Pole life can be extended through an effective preservative treatment and maintenance program, but all poles will reach a point when they are no longer suitable for their intended use. With the increasing cost of quality wood for use in poles, along with environmental concerns regarding pole disposal and chemical treatment of existing poles, new innovative methods are required to restore and maintain the structural integrity of existing wood poles. This paper presents results from a research program carried out at the University of Manitoba to develop a repair and rehabilitation technique for wood poles using fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although bridges were among the first civil engineering structures to use structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies, research is now expanding to explore other types of applications, including Manitoba's famous Golden Boy statue. Global research is identifying the value of using SHM technologies for civil engineering applications. Structural health monitoring uses a variety of sensors to gather information about the behaviour of a structure. The information creates a valuable knowledge base that can be analyzed to help identify potential structural risks, develop safer and more efficient new structures, and determine more effective ways to rehabilitate existing structures. This paper briefly describes the history of the Manitoba Legislative Building and the Golden Boy and also the use of SHM technologies to help preserve the Golden Boy statue, an icon of provincial heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]