The cyclic loading program was designed to generate
large horizontal shear force ranges within the composite
connection between the girder and the deck. A four-stage
loading program was used (Fig. 6). The first three stages
subjected each test specimen to more than 2 million cycles
of structural loading. The final stage subjected each test
specimen to more than 5 million additional cycles of structural
loading. The vertical shear force range was increased
by approximately one-third at each stage, resulting in the
final stage applying twice the vertical shear force range as
the initial stage. In this final stage, the vertical shear force
range was 94 kip (418 kN).