Die Scherkondetalbrücke,die erste semi‐integrale Talbrücke der DB AG auf der Neubaustrecke Erfurt – Leipzig/Halle VDE 8.2

Auf der Neubaustrecke Erfurt – Leipzig/Halle werden zurzeit einige Talbrücken realisiert, die einen neuen, ganzheitlich orientierten Entwurfsansatz verfolgen. Bei diesen integralen bzw. semi‐integralen Bauwerken sind die Überbauten monolithisch mit den Pfeilern und teilweise mit den Widerlagern verbunden. Sie können deshalb schlanker und mit stetigen Übergängen zwischen den Bauteilen ausgeführt werden. Durch den weitgehenden Verzicht auf Lager und Fugen und durch die robuste Bauweise besitzen integrale Bauwerke eine wesentlich längere Lebenserwartung als herkömmliche Talbrücken. Am Beispiel der Scherkondetalbrücke werden in diesem Beitrag die Unterschiede zwischen den konventionellen und den semi‐integralen Tragwerken erläutert sowie die Voraussetzungen und die Vorteile der Anwendung von integralen Bauwerken für die DB AG herausgearbeitet. Bridge over Scherkonde Valley – the First Large Semi‐Integral Bridge on High‐Speed Railway Route Erfurt – Leipzig/Halle Currently some large valley bridges are under construction on high‐speed railway route Erfurt‐Leipzig/Halle. These bridges follow a new holistic design philosophy. The superstructure of those integral or semi‐integral bridges is rigidly connected to the abutments and the columns. Therefore they are more slender than conventional bridges, and the bridges are very robust and durable because of the omitting of bearings and dilatation joints. The bridge over the Scherkonde valley is taken as an example for explaining the differences between conventional and semi‐integral bridges in this paper. This example shows the advantages and the requirements of integral buildings for high‐speed railway bridges.     

Rechnerische Beurteilung der Schubtragfähigkeit einer Spannbetonbrücke mit geringem Querkraft bewehrungsgrad

Assessment of the shear strength of an existing post‐tensioned concrete bridge with a low amount of shear reinforcement – First application of the ”Flexural Shear Crack“ model in practice In recent years it was reported several times, that within a static assessment according to current standards the shear strength of post‐tensioned bridges, which were built in Austria before 1989, cannot be fulfilled any more. However, test results prove, that especially prestressed structures have additional load bearing capacities, which cannot be reproduced with current calculation models. In the framework of a pilot project a new developed shear model (Flexural Shear Crack Model) was used. In this paper the approach as well as the main results of a statical reevaluation of an existing post‐tensioned road bridge at the Tauern Autobahn A10 will be presented.     

Gestalten von Eisenbahnbrücken

Design of railway bridges. Railway bridges are high performance structures concerning their load bearing capacity, durability and serviceability. But high demands of usage and loading combined with the special conditions of building technology under continuing traffic led to a lack of aesthetic bridge design during the last decades. The structures of infrastructure, and in particular bridges, are large and tend to dominate their natural or urban environments. Bridges must, therefore, meet high levels of aesthetic and design value in addition to meeting the basic requirements of providing safety, functionality and economic solutions. Two years ago an advisory board for bridge design was established to support the Deutsche Bahn in making considerable improvements to the aesthetic and design quality of bridges promoting innovation in bridge design and construction.     

Entwurf und Ausführungsplanung der Stöbnitztalbrücke

Auf der Neubaustrecke Erfurt – Leipzig/Halle werden zurzeit einige Talbrücken realisiert, die einen neuen, ganzheitlich orientierten Entwurfsansatz verfolgen. Bei diesen integralen bzw. semi‐integralen Bauwerken sind die Überbauten monolithisch mit den Pfeilern und teilweise mit den Widerlagern verbunden. Sie können deshalb schlanker und mit stetigen Übergängen zwischen den Bauteilen ausgeführt werden. Durch den weitgehenden Verzicht auf Lager und Fugen und durch die robuste Bauweise besitzen integrale Bauwerke eine wesentlich längere Lebenserwartung als herkömmliche Talbrücken. Die Scherkondetalbrücke und die Gänsebachtalbrücke wurden bereits in vorherigen Ausgaben beschrieben. In diesem Beitrag wird über den Bau der Stöbnitztalbrücke berichtet, die als Sondervorschlag der ausführenden Baufirma realisiert wird. The Bridge over Stoebnitz Valley – a Bridge without Bearings on High‐Speed Railway Route Erfurt – Leipzig/Halle Currently some large valley bridges are under construction on high‐speed railway route Erfurt‐Leipzig/Halle. These bridges follow a new holistic design philosophy. The superstructures of those integral or semi‐integral bridges are rigidly connected to the abutments and the columns. Therefore, they are more slender than conventional bridges and the bridges are very robust and durable because of the omitting of bearings and dilatation joints. The bridges over Scherkonde valley and over Gaensebach valley were already described in previous issues. In this paper the construction of the bridge crossing Stoebnitz valley is reported. This bridge is being built as an alternate design of the contractor.     

Zur Querkraftgefährdung bestehender Spannbetonbrücken

Zur Formulierung einer Handlungsanweisung wurden in Teil I die geänderten Lastannahmen für Brücken nach DIN Fachbericht 101 mit den Belastungsklassen nach alten Normen verglichen und gezeigt, wie anhand aktueller Verkehrszahlen die Lastansätze modifiziert werden können. Der aktuelle Brückenbestand in Hessen wurde mit der Straßeninformationsbank (Teilprojekt Bauwerksdaten) ausgewertet, um Klassifizierungs‐ und Bewertungskriterien zu erarbeiten. Zur Beurteilung des Querkraftwiderstandes wurden die Grundlagen der Querkraftbemessung nach DIN 1045, DIN 4227, DIN Fachbericht 102 und aus der Literatur gegenübergestellt. In Teil II werden Verfahren zur nachträglichen Verstärkung von Querschnitten und Tragsystemen mit zu geringer Querkrafttragfähigkeit zusammengestellt. Des Weiteren werden verschiedene Varianten der Modellierung verglichen, die bei der linearelastischen Schnittgrößenermittlung nach der Finite‐Elemente‐ Methode verwendet werden. Auf Grundlage der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse werden schließlich Empfehlungen für eine Handlungsanweisung zur Beurteilung querkraftgefährdeter Brückenbauwerke formuliert. Shear‐Vulnerability of Existing Pre‐Stressed Concrete Bridges In Part I, to formulate an operation directive the revised load assumptions for bridges of DIN Technical Report 101 are compared with the loading classes according to old standards and it is demonstrated, how the loading models can be modified based on actual traffic data. The current bridge asset in the Federal State of Hesse is evaluated using the “Road Information Database (Sub‐Project: Structural Data)” in order to work out classification and evaluation criteria. Regarding the assessment of the shear load‐bearing capacity the fundamentals of the shear load design models of DIN 1045, DIN 4227, DIN TR 102 and from the literature are compared. In Part II, the procedures for the subsequent strengthening of cross‐sections and structural systems with a low shear load‐bearing capacity are compiled. In addition, different types of finite element modelling are compared used for the calculation of the linear‐elastic internal forces. Finally, based on the findings recommendations are formulated for an operation directive in regard to the assessment of shear‐vulnerable bridges.     

Platten aus Stahlbeton unter zweiaxialer Biegebeanspruchung

RC‐Members subjected to Biaxial Bending RC‐surface‐structures are usually subjected to multiaxial loadings e.g. in box girders at bridge construction, at two‐way slabs or also in area of load introduction of high loadings above and below columns. The design of these structures occurs presently with simplified assumptions, which is safe but not always the most economic solution. Superposition of single load cases or the addition of the amount of needed reinforcing steel may lead to overdimensioning of structures. Interactions, such as the effects of changing stiffness, receive no or an incomplete consideration. The non‐linear material behaviour is one essential reason for relocation of internal forces. This behaviour is caused by inhomogeneities, like the reinforcement. Within the framework of a research project and with experiences from tests with rc‐panels rc‐slabs with variable directions of reinforcement and under different bending moment ratios were investigated at the Institut für Konstruktiven Ingenieurbau of the University of the German Armed Forces Munich. The results of these tests should help to develop a simplified model to describe the observed behaviour.     

Messtechnische Überwachung extern vorgespannter Betonbrücken

Monitoring of reinforced concrete bridges retrofitted by external tendons An established retrofitting method for bridges with deficits in their load bearing capacity is the installation of external tendons to increase the lifespan of the structure. A critical detail of the retrofitting is the anchorage block, where significant forces have to be introduced into the existing superstructure. Therefore, the anchorage blocks of three bridges in Hessen were monitored. They were fitted with extensometers, strain gauges were installed on prestressing rods and the temperature was recorded. Furthermore alert protocols were established, to detect potentially critical situations. The effects of different construction stages were tracked. The influence of short‐ and long‐term temperature changes on the readings was assessed. In summary, the monitoring provided valuable insights into the structural interaction between the existing superstructure and the elements of the retrofitting.     

Querkrafttragfähigkeit von Fahrbahnplatten ohne Querkraftbewehrung

Es wird über Versuche zur Querkrafttragfähigkeit von Brückenfahrbahnplatten aus Stahlbeton berichtet. Diese zeigen, dass die bekannten Rechenansätze für Bauteile ohne Querkraftbewehrung nach DIN 1045‐1 bzw. DIN‐FB 102 für Fahrbahnplatten auf der sicheren Seite liegen, die tatsächliche Tragfähigkeit aber weit unterschätzt wird. Weitere Ansätze zur Berechnung der Querkrafttragfähigkeit von Stahlbetonbauteilen ohne Querkraftbewehrung werden erörtert. Während die Modelle bei der Auswertung einer Datenbank von Balkenversuchen eine gute Übereinstimmung aufweisen, zeigt der Vergleich mit den Modellversuchen, dass die meisten Rechenverfahren die Tragfähigkeit der Platten unterschätzen. Zur Berechnung der Querkrafttragfähigkeit von Platten ohne Querkraftbewehrung unter Punktlasten wird ein Modell vorgeschlagen, welches die Querkrafttragfähigkeit mit der Zugbeanspruchung der Biegezugzone im kritischen Bereich verknüpft. Shear Resistance of Bridge Decks without Transverse Reinforcement The design of concrete bridge deck slabs is of major concern since the introduction of the Eurocodes as the calculated shear capacity of slabs without stirrups and staggered reinforcement according to the new design standards is often considerably smaller compared to the former regulations i.e. DIN 1045:88. This raises the question whether the existing structures are still save. A series of 12 tests on 4 different specimens representing a bridge deck was performed to examine the real load bearing behaviour of a slab with and without shear reinforcement under a wheel (point) load. The evaluation of the test results revealed, that the current design formula with an assumed elastic shear force distribution leads to rather conservative values of shear capacity for bridge deck slabs. Various approaches for shear design are discussed and the accuracy is checked by means of a shear database and the test results. A new model to calculate the shear capacity is proposed which shows a better agreement with test data than the known approaches.     

Grundlagen und Entwicklung von stochastischen Modellen zur Beurteilung der Schädigung von Massivbrücken auf der Grundlage der Ergebnisse von Bauwerksüberprüfungen

In zwei Beiträgen wird ein auf der Zuverlässigkeitstheorie basierendes probabilistisches Verfahren für eine schnelle Bewertung der Tragfähigkeit eines geschädigten Stahlbetonbrückenbauwerks vorgestellt. Es ersetzt keine statische Nachberechnung, unterstützt jedoch den Bauwerksprüfer noch während der Prüfung gemäß DIN 1076 und lässt eine schnelle Entscheidung über die Art und Weise einer ggf. erforderlichen Nutzungseinschränkung noch vor einer Nachberechnung zu. Mit dem Verfahren ist es möglich, eine verbesserte Bewertung über die Auswirkung von Schäden und Mängeln an Stahlbetonbrücken auf deren Tragfähigkeit im Rahmen einer handnahen visuellen Bauwerksprüfung zu erreichen. Teil 1 behandelt die Grundlagen des Verfahrens sowie die Entwicklung der veränderten stochastischen Material‐ und Geometrieparameter infolge Schädigung. In Teil 2 wird die Modellunsicherheit “Bauwerksprüfer” sowie das baupraktische Näherungsverfahren für eine Anwendung im Rahmen der RI‐EBW‐PRÜF vorgestellt. Basics and Development of Stochastic Models for a Structural Reliability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Bridges on the Basis of the Results from Bridge Inspection A probabilistic method based on the reliability theory allows a quick assessment of the load bearing capacity of damaged reinforced concrete bridges. The aim is to support the bridge inspection engineer during the bridge inspection according to DIN 1076 and not to replace a static recalculation. It should allow a quick decision as to whether or not a restriction of the crossing traffic is necessary. With this method it is possible to achieve a better assessment of the influence of damages on reinforced concrete bridges which are seen in a visual bridge inspection. Part 1 of the two papers describes the basics of the methodology and shows the development of the stochastic models for the material and geometry parameters which have changed as a result of damage. In Part 2 the model uncertainty for the bridge inspector and the practical use in accordance with the RI‐EBW‐PRÜF are shown.     

Zur Querkraftgefährdung bestehender Spannbetonbrücken

Zur Formulierung einer Handlungsanweisung werden in Teil I die geänderten Lastannahmen für Brücken nach DIN Fachbericht 101 mit den Belastungsklassen nach alten Normen verglichen und gezeigt, wie anhand aktueller Verkehrszahlen die Lastansätze modifiziert werden können. Der aktuelle Brückenbestand in Hessen wird mit der Straßeninformationsbank (Teilprojekt Bauwerksdaten) ausgewertet, um Klassifizierungs‐ und Bewertungskriterien zu erarbeiten. Zur Beurteilung des Querkraftwiderstandes werden die Grundlagen der Querkraftbemessung nach DIN 1045, DIN 4227, DIN Fachbericht 102 und aus der Literatur gegenübergestellt. Shear‐Vulnerability of Existing Pre‐Stressed Concrete Bridges. Part One: Basics In Part I, to formulate an operation directive the revised load assumptions for bridges of DIN Technical Report 101 are compared with the loading classes according to old standards and it is demonstrated, how the loading models can be modified based on actual traffic data. The current bridge asset in the Federal State of Hesse is evaluated using the “Road Information Database (Sub‐Project: Structural Data)” in order to work out classification and evaluation criteria. Regarding the assessment of the shear load‐bearing capacity the fundamentals of the shear load design models of DIN 1045, DIN 4227, DIN TR 102 and from the literature are compared.     

Effect of beam stiffness–column reinforcement on creep and shrinkage behaviour of R.C frames

Vertical deflections and load transfer among columns of R.C frames depend on the percentage of reinforcement in columns and stiffness of beams. No systematic studies are available in the literature on the effect of these parameters. Such systematic studies are reported in this paper. The beam stiffness is expressed in terms of a non‐dimensional parameter, designated as stiffness factor, which is the ratio of shear stiffness of beams to axial stiffness of columns. It is shown that depending on stiffness factor and column reinforcement, a column may receive the load from the adjacent columns or transfer the load to the adjacent columns, or may receive the load from one of the adjacent columns and at the same time transfer the load to the other adjacent column. Further, the effect of the creep and shrinkage on column axial forces can be of design significance in the lower and middle portions of buildings. The effect becomes greater with the increase in stiffness factor and difference in percentage reinforcement of the adjacent columns. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bemessungsvorschlag für Holz/Beton‐Verbundbalken unter Beachtung abgestufter Verbindungsmittelabstände

Design proposal for timber/concrete composite beams with graded connnector distances. The distance of connections of timber/concrete composite beams is often graded for economical reasons according the shear force distribution. The load‐carrying capacity of composite beams according to DIN 1052 respectively E DIN 1052 with internal forces, which are linearly determined, (γ‐procedure) are clearly reduced compared to beams without graded distances of connectors. The actual load‐bearing behaviour distinctly shows non‐linearities. The influence of the gradations of the connectors on the load‐bearing behaviour of composite beams is investigated, because the influence of the stiffness of connections on the load‐bearing capacity of composite beams is small. The paper presents a comparison between failure loads determined by FE‐analysis and the working loads according to the current design rule. It is shown that the decrease of load‐bearing capacity is smaller than assumed by current code of practice. Structures with several different distances of connections have the largest safety‐factor. These systems can more economically be designed. As the result of the investigations, a new design proposal is presented, which takes non‐linearities into account and guarantees a constant safety‐zone between failure load and working load. These proposal permits an economic design of timber/concrete composite beams.     

Analysis of outrigger‐braced reinforced concrete supertall buildings: Core‐supported and tube‐in‐tube lateral systems

This study is primarily focused on the approximate analysis of reinforced concrete outriggers which are commonly used in the design and construction of supertall buildings subject to distributed horizontal loads. Existing global analysis formulae that provide preliminary results for lateral deflections and moments are reviewed for two lateral load resisting systems, namely, core‐supported‐with‐outrigger (CSOR) system and less frequent tube‐in‐tube‐with‐outrigger (TTOR) system. These formulae are only applicable for CSOR and neglect the reverse rotation of the outrigger actually suffered due to the propping action from the outer columns and give rather high predictions of the deflections compared with advanced numerical finite element (FE) models. An improved model is proposed which overcomes this issue and provides more consistent results to FE predictions. The same can also be extended to TTOR. Several case studies are investigated to verify the accuracy of the proposed methodologies. The global analysis is followed by the local analysis of reinforced concrete outrigger beams using strut‐and‐tie modelling and non‐linear FE analysis to obtain optimized reinforcement layouts (reduction of quantities of reinforcement). The results highlight the different challenges in detailing such structural members which are heavily loaded (high congestion of reinforcement), and the behaviour at failure can be brittle.     

Versuche zur Ermüdungsfestigkeit alter Betonstähle

Die Frage der Ermüdungssicherheit hat im Zusammenhang mit der Überprüfung bestehender Stahlbetonbauwerke, insbesondere Brücken, an Aktualität gewonnen. Während auf der Einwirkungsseite die Anzahl der Lastwechsel und die Lasten, die die Brücke im Laufe ihres Lebens erfahren hat, von Bedeutung sind, sind es auf der Widerstandsseite die Genauigkeit des Tragwerkmodells und die Materialkennwerte. Mit Letzteren befasst sich dieser Aufsatz. Der wichtigste Parameter auf der Widerstandsseite ist die Ermüdungsfestigkeit des Betonstahls. Mittels Dauerschwingversuchen wurde die Ermüdungsfestigkeit von vier Betonstahlsorten ermittelt. Zwei Sorten stammen von abgebrochenen Brücken aus den 1950er Jahren; zwei weitere sind kürzlich produzierte Sorten von Ring‐ und Stabmaterial der Betonstahlsorte B 500 B. Das Ziel der Versuche bestand darin, festzustellen, ob das Alter einer Stahlbetonkonstruktion einen Einfluss auf die Ermüdungsfestigkeit des Betonstahls hat. Im Aufsatz werden die Problematik beim Nachweis der Ermüdungssicherheit bestehender Brücken kurz geschildert, die Versuche beschrieben und deren Resultate diskutiert. Fatigue Tests with Old Reinforcing Steels Recently, fatigue safety has become an issue with respect to surveying the condition of existing structures, in particular bridges. While questions considering traffic loads and frequencies dominate the calculations of the appropriate load scenarios, the accuracy of the structural model and material properties play a vital role for the calculation of the resistance. This article deals with the latter. The most important parameter on the resistance side is the fatigue strength of the reinforcement. Therefore, fatigue strength of four brands of reinforcing steel was determined in fatigue tests. Two brands of reinforcement bars could be gathered during demolition work of two bridges which were built in the 1950ies. Another two brands of new reinforcing steel B 500 B, a rod‐steel and a steel from the roll, were tested. The aim of the tests was to prove whether age and environment of the built‐in reinforcement bars affect their fatigue resistance or not. The article briefly describes the difficulties with verifying the fatigue safety of existing bridges while the main part deals with the experimental work and the discussion of the test results.     

Nichtlineare Berechnung alter Bogenbrücken auf Grundlage der neuen Vorschriften

Nonlinear Calculation of historical Concrete Arch Bridges according to the new Regulations The paper discusses the application of nonlinear calculation of historical concrete arch bridges with an example. On the comparison of the results obtained either with a linear structural analysis or with a nonlinear calculation according to the “DIN Fachberichte” (German regulations for bridges) a discussion follows about the use of safety elements (statistical type of characteristics partial safety factors) in this calculation. The choice and placement of safety elements in the nonlinear analysis is essential for the results of the verification. The required load bearing capacity for the chosen bridge could be verified using the sophisticated nonlinear calculation method.     

Schlanke Fußgängerbrücke aus Textilbeton

In Albstadt‐Lautlingen wurde eine ältere Fußgängerbrücke aus Stahlbeton durch eine elegante Brücke aus Textilbeton ersetzt. Durch die Kombination von textilbewehrtem Beton mit einer Vorspannung ohne Verbund ließ sich eine für Betontragwerke außergewöhnliche Schlankheit erzielen. Die 97 m lange Brücke über die Bundesstraße B 463 besteht aus sechs Fertigteilen, die bei einer Elementlänge von 17,2 m eine Bauhöhe von 43 cm aufweisen. Im Beitrag werden Konstruktion, Bemessung und insbesondere das Schwingungsverhalten beschrieben. Die Untersuchungen zu den verwendeten Baustoffen sowie zum Tragverhalten und zur Dauerhaftigkeit finden sich in einem separaten Beitrag in diesem Heft. A Pedestrian Bridge Made of Textile Reinforced Concrete The pedestrian bridge over a state road in Albstadt, Germany, had to be torn down due to immense corrosion damages of the steel reinforcement and was replaced by a new bridge. The design of the new bridge allows a slender and durable construction with high demands on the concrete surface. The bridge with a total length of 97 m is subdivided in six prefabricated parts with a maximum element length of 17,2 m and a span of L_s = 15 m. The height of only 43 cm is possible by using the innovative composite material textile reinforced concrete. Thus, a slenderness of L_s/H = 35 and an extreme slender bridge construction is achieved. Due to the non‐corrosive textile reinforcement a very small concrete cover is possible and, thus, webs and cantilever arms can be designed very thin. The paper describes the construction, design and dynamic behaviour. A report on materials, load bearing behaviour and on the durability is available as a separate paper in this issue.     

Großversuch WILD‐Brücke – versuchsgestützte Bemessung einer UHPC‐Bogenbrücke

Full‐Scale Experiment Bridge WILD – Design of an UHPC Arch Bridge based on Experiments The outstanding durability of UHPC makes this material predestined for the construction of bridges. In Austria UHPC is introduced into the practice of road bridges through the realisation of the bridge WILD. The cross section of the arch, which spans 70 m, is just 6 cm thick and doesn't contain any passive reinforcement. The design is based on international recommendations on the one hand and on specific experiments on the other hand. This paper deals with the evaluation of two full‐scale laboratory tests. The setup is configured for getting a broad field of results as it is necessary for approval tests. In this way, all critical design states, which are also determined by calculation, are investigated experimentally. Furthermore, the experiments cover secondary effects, which don't have any verification through practical experience but can clearly be seen in FE‐results. The test results are carefully interpreted and explained by the use of simple mechanical models. The final examination of the results is figured out by means of comparison between calculation and experiment.     

Entwurf und Konstruktion der Egg‐Graben Brücke

Aufgrund der hohen Erhaltungskosten von Brücken gibt es mittlerweile unterschiedliche Ansätze, um die Dauerhaftigkeit zu erhöhen. Vorgespannte Brücken ohne Betonstahl stellen hierfür einen neuen Ansatz dar. Zur Erforschung des Tragverhaltens solcher Strukturen wurde ein Forschungsprojekt gestartet und Großversuche durchgeführt. Die Landesbaudirektion Salzburg war von dieser innovativen Idee überzeugt und hat deshalb die Technologie beim Bau der Egg‐Graben Brücke ausgeschrieben. Die Egg‐Graben Brücke ist eine im Grundriss gekrümmte Bogenbrücke mit einer Länge von 50 m. Nach einer Bauzeit von 18 Monaten erfolgte im November 2009 die Freigabe für den Verkehr. Der vorliegende Aufsatz beschreibt die Technologie, den Entwurf sowie die beim Bau der Brücke gesammelte Erfahrung. Design and Construction of the Egg‐Graben Bridge Due to the high maintenance costs of bridges, there are now various approaches to enhance the durability. Post tensioned bridges without steel reinforcement represent one of these approaches. To investigate the structural behaviour of such constructions, a research project was started and large‐scale tests were carried out. The government of the province of Salzburg could be convinced of this innovative technology and tendered out the method for the construction of the Egg‐Graben Bridge. For the arch bridge, which is curved in plan, the superstructure is prestressed without using further steel reinforcement. After a construction period of 18 months the bridge was opened to traffic in November 2009. The paper describes the technology, the design and the experience gained from the construction of the bridge.     

ÖBB Steyrtalbrücke – Belastungsprobe und Langzeitmessungen

ÖBB Steyrtalbridge – Load test and long term measurements At km 65,621 of the railroad track between Linz and Selzthal the Steyrtalbridge was rebuilt in the years 2013 and 2014. The essential design criterion from the client ÖBB Infrastruktur AG was the endeavor of an optimized bridge under consideration of life‐cylce‐cost, which among other things despite a bridge length of 182 m can be designed without high‐maintenance breather switches. Based on the current standards and certain design flexibilities, which are allowed in the codes special ways and techniques were used to calculate the rail tension. With this results of the rail‐structure‐interaction it was possible to design without breather switches. As consequence of the assumptions in the planning process it was necessary to make comprehensive measurements which shall give information of the real behavior of the bridge and compare them with the assumptions and results of the static calculation. Therefor static and dynamic load test were performed before opening to regular traffic. In addition long term measurements were carried out to evaluate the load‐bearing behavior over time and to confirm the calculation approaches for the verification of the rail‐structure‐interaction. In this article the planning of the monitoringsystem, the implementation and results of the load test and the following long term measurements are illustrated.