Overload permit issuance for vehicles exceeding the legal weights is a common practice in many states. most states face increasing pressure to allow heavier and greater number of overweight truck permits. the current method of permit checking in most states adopts theconcept of allowable stress with operating strengths. it does not provide uniform level of structural reliability. a rational permit checking method is therefore desired. little research has been reported which derives a practical and rational format for permit checking.this paper proposes a format to check permit overloads based on structural reliability. weigh-in-motion data are used to model live load. frequent, one-trip, and escorted permits are considered. this checking format is compatible to both load factor checking procedure ofcurrent aashto specifications and load and resistance factor methods under development. it can be included in a bridge structure evaluation. this paper appears in transportation research record no. 1290, third bridge engineering conference, march 10-13, 1991, denver, colorado, volume 1.
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