Task ‘Loading’ will examine loading conditions on existing structures and propose procedures for optimised load modelling. The following aspects of loading will be looked at:

	Dead loads: Procedures used to evaluate dead loads in structural assessment will be examined (based on codes, bridge inspections and testing).
	Traffic loading: Procedures used for determination of traffic load models will be examined to identify differences between traffic patterns in EU, EEA and CE countries. Analysis will be based on available weigh-in-motion (WIM) data and on measurements performed for this purpose.
	Live load modelling: While new bridges should be designed on the basis of generalised conservative loading schemes to withstand the whole life time of the structure, assessment of existing bridges should be optimised if specific assessment loading schemes or site-specific load models are applied. Such load models are rarely used around Europe which often leads to unnecessarily frequent interventions on bridges. Optimised assessment live load models for bridges will be derived so as to relate logically to the derivation procedure used for the Eurocode, EC1, Part 3 and will be applicable to any traffic conditions.
	Dynamic loading: The Eurocode for bridge traffic loading incorporates dynamic impact factors based on experiments carried out using single truck crossing events. Such an approach is excessively conservative as dynamic effects of heavier, multiple vehicle loading events are generally considerably lower. To optimise the dynamic loading in the assessment of bridges, a dynamic computer model will be compared to field tests, using trucks of known weights and bridge weigh-in-motion measurements.

Task ‘Structural Safety’ will examine quality and extension of structural safety assessment procedures used in the selected countries. To reduce maintenance and users’ costs, impacts to the environment and traffic delays, improved safety assessment procedures, based on the recommendations of BRIME and COST 345, will be proposed. They will include optimised traffic load models and target safety levels as well as account for the possible differences between EC, EEA and CE countries due to different structural and traffic conditions.