Load Assessment and Load Rating

Sterling delivers load assessment and rating services for bridges, culverts, and industrial structures across Australia, with particular expertise in deteriorated and aging infrastructure. We have developed sophisticated load rating models for all construction types—, steel, concrete, masonry, timber, enabling infrastructure owners to understand actual load capacity under current condition states, not just theoretical "as-new" design assumptions.

Our load rating approach accounts for deterioration mechanisms including section loss from corrosion, concrete spalling, crack propagation, and material degradation. For the ARTC Australia-wide structures program, Sterling has rated 25,000+ structures since 2019, identifying assets requiring remediation or operational restrictions. This work demonstrates our capability to deliver consistent load assessment methodologies across diverse asset types, geographic regions, and operational constraints.

Load assessments integrate with Sterling's inspection services — condition data from visual and detailed inspections informs structural models, providing "as-is" load capacity ratings that reflect actual deterioration rather than design-intent assumptions. This approach enables infrastructure owners to make evidence-based decisions about remediation timing, operational restrictions, and strategic renewal planning.