Development of a bridge weigh-in-motion method considering the presence of multiple vehicles

•A B-WIM method considering the presence of multiple vehicles was first proposed.•Accurate measurement of vehicle velocity, wheelbase, and axial loads under scenarios of multiple vehicles can be achieved.•Proposed method was validated through a series of indoor model experiments. These days, bridge weigh-in-motion (B-WIM) method has become a promising and useful technique in the bridge maintenance. Through a B-WIM method, the information of traffic can be accurately measured to facilitate the design and management of bridge. However, currently there are some issues existing in B-WIM method including the sensor’s feasibility, the inapplicability for the multiple vehicle scenarios and the requirement of an additional axle-detector. Under this background, in this study, only based on the long-gauge fibre Bragg grating (LGFBG) sensor, a B-WIM method is presented considering the presence of multiple vehicles. This method was tested through a series of designed experimental cases considering the situations of single vehicle and two vehicles. The results showed that under designed situations, this method could accurately identify vehicles’ velocities, wheelbases and axial weight, but in order to apply this method on an actual bridge more numerical studies and on-site tests are needed in the future.