State highway agencies across the country are upgrading standards, policies, and processes to satisfy the 2016 AASHTO/FHWA Joint Implementation Agreement for the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The AASHTO loading requirements for design of the bridge deck overhang is based on NCHRP Report 350. In order to meet the MASH implementation agreement, the loading requirements and analysis method of bridge deck overhang should be investigated, and the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications should be modified accordingly. The research is of urgent need to ensure public safety and satisfy the AASHTO MASH and LRFD bridge design requirements.

 

 

The objectives of this research were to (1) propose modification to the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications related to loading requirements of the AASHTO MASH for bridge deck overhang and (2) develop examples to demonstrate the application of the proposed modifications. The research included the analysis and design of bridge deck overhang for concrete, metal, solid and post-beam railings (including curbed and non-curbed) subjected to each of the MASH collision loads.