Phenomenological Modelling of Extreme Bridge Traffic Loading Across a Network

The accurate modeling of bridge traffic loading is important for safety. This thesis proposes a new framework to model bridge traffic loading that enables accurate modeling across an entire transportation network. Bayesian modeling is used, which enables engineering knowledge about the upper bound of traffic load to be used. This research found that safety is underestimated in the existing literature, which results in economic waste and unnecessary societal and environmental burdens.