Abstract
In 2002, the Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) contracted with Oregon State University to investigate the load capacity and fatigue damage of its cracked cast-in-place, reinforced concrete deck girder (RCDG) bridges. The research results conclusively indicated that the steel reinforcement in cracked RCDG bridges was not undergoing fatigue damage. Research revealed that the calculations for the load and resistance factor rating (LRFR)the newest code for rating bridge capacity accurately accommodate the effects of cracks. Oregon DOT has adopted the LRFR with Oregon-specific live-load factors, confident that the method provides a high degree of reliability and safety in rating the many cracked RCDG bridges in the state.