By
Isidro P. Buquiron
Introduction
The primary objective of code specifications in bridge design is public safety. Thus, in the United States, the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) was formed in 1914 which later on issued the first edition of the Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges and Incidental Structures in 1931 [1]. The concept of safety provided in this document is to guarantee that all structural element in the system in part and as a whole must have minimum resistance that will exceed the load and demand applied to the structure during its specified years of service. In Canada, specifically in Ontario, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) specification was widely used, however unofficially before the first edition of the Ontario Highway Bridge Design Code (OHBDC) was issued in 1978 [2].