Ingenieurwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen an der Hagia Sophia in Istanbul — Teil 1: Das Konstruktionsgefüge

Die Hagia Sophia in Istanbul ist eines der baugeschichtlich wichtigsten und ingenieurmäßig bemerkenswertesten Bauwerke der letzten 1500 Jahre. Aufgrund restauratorischer Sicherungsarbeiten und der damit verbundenen Einrüstung der Hauptkuppel war in den letzten Jahren die einmalige Gelegenheit gegeben, den geometrischen und materiellen Irregularitäten und Diskontinuitäten, die aus mehreren Teileinstürzen und Wiederaufbauten herrühren, mit Hilfe zerstörungsfreier geophysikalischer Untersuchungsverfahren nachzugehen. Damit konnte der heutige Bestand und Zustand der aus Ziegeln gemauerten Hauptkuppel und der aus Naturstein errichteten vier Hauptpfeiler intensiv erkundet werden. Die erlangten neuen Kenntnisse zum Konstruktionsgefüge erlaubten einerseits die Entwicklung differenzierter Berechnungsmodelle, mit deren Hilfe eine Aussage zum Lastfluss, den Spannungszuständen und dem Stabilitätsverhalten der Hagia Sophia möglich wurde und bieten andererseits Grundlage, um die Frage der Erdbebengefährdung mit einer der historischen Bedeutung des Gebäudes entsprechenden Zuverlässigkeit zu beantworten. Im vorliegenden ersten Teil des Berichtes zum DFG‐Projekt “Ingenieurwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen an der Hauptkuppel und den Hauptpfeilern der Hagia Sophia in Istanbul“ [1] wird über die Erkundungen am Bauwerk berichtet. Der im nächsten Heft erscheinende zweite Teil wird dann die Folgerungen, die sich daraus für das Tragverhalten und Tragvermögen des Gebäudes ergeben, zum Inhalt haben. Engineering Studies on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul — Part 1: The Structural Characteristics. The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of the most significant and remarkable buildings of the past 1500 years, both from an architectural history and an engineering point of view. Due to restoration work and the related scaffolding of the main dome, the past years have provided a unique opportunity to investigate the geometrical and material irregularities and discontinuities resulting from several partial collapses and rebuilding, by using nondestructive geophysical analytical methods. They allowed a thorough exploration of the present substance and condition of the main dome’s brick masonry and of the four main pillars built from natural stone. The new findings regarding the structural characteristics allowed, on the one hand, developing differentiated calculation models by means of which statements on load flow, stress states and stability behavior of the Hagia Sophia became possible and on the other, provided a basis for answering the question about the earthquake risks with a reliability corresponding to the historical significance of the building. The first part of the report on the DFG project “Engineering Studies on the Main Dome and Main Pillars of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul” describes the explorations of the building. The second part, which will appear in the next issue, will present the conclusions resulting for the structural behavior and structural capacity of the building.     

Enhanced assessment of ageing phenomena in steel structures based on materials data and non‐destructive testing

The increasing amount of ageing civil steel infrastructure requests an enhanced assessment of this infrastructure in terms of determining its residual fatigue life in a more realistic way than this has been done in the past. Often the relevant materials data for cyclic loading of such an ageing infrastructure is not available and its retrieval turns out to be relatively cumbersome bearing the urgency in data availability and continuous cost pressure in mind. This article addresses different approaches and techniques on how materials data for cyclic loading can be obtained at a fraction of the effort compared to state‐of‐the‐art techniques, considering load increase tests, non‐destructive testing techniques and finally even a stepped bar specimen allowing a complete set of materials data (stress‐strain behaviour and stress‐ and strain‐life curve) to be obtained with a single specimen in the end only. Options for ’digitizing’ materials data evaluation are discussed and some prospect on application of those novel approaches and techniques in damage accumulation assessments on real steel infrastructure is provided.     

Application of the hybrid process ultrasound enhanced friction stir welding on dissimilar aluminum/dual‐phase steel and aluminum/magnesium joints

Friction stir welding as a solid‐state joining method with its comparatively low process temperatures is suitable for joining dissimilar materials like aluminum/magnesium or aluminum/steel. Such hybrid joints are of great interest regarding lightweight efforts in different industrial fields like the transportation area. The present work investigates the influence of additionally transmitted power ultrasound during the friction stir welding on the joint properties of EN AC‐48000/AZ91 and EN AW‐6061/DP600. Therefore, conventional friction stir welding was continuously compared to ultrasound enhanced friction stir welding. Light microscopic analysis and nondestructive testing of the joints using x‐ray and high frequency ultrasound show different morphologies of the nugget for the aluminum/magnesium joints as well as differences in the amount and size of steel particles in the nugget of aluminum/steel joints. Scanning electron microcopy proves differences in the thickness of continuous intermetallic layers for the aluminum/steel joints realized with and without power ultrasound. Regarding the tensile strength of the joints the power ultrasound leads to increased joint strengths for EN AC‐48000/AZ91 joints compared to a decrease for EN AW‐6061/DP600 joints. Corrosion investigations show an influence of the ultrasound power on the corrosion properties of EN AC‐48000/AZ91 joints which is attributed to a changed aluminum content in the nugget region. Because of the great potential difference between the magnesium and the nugget phase the transitional area exhibits strong galvanic corrosion. For EN AW‐6061/DP600 joints an increased corrosion caused by galvanic effects is not expected as the potentials of the EN AW‐6061 aluminum alloy and DP600 steel are very similar.     

Deutsches Archäologisches Institut DAI in Rom

Die Bundesrepublik betreibt in Rom das Deutsche Archäologische Institut (DAI). Der achtstöckige Stahlbeton‐Skelettbau aus dem Baujahr 1963 mit ca. 8000 m² Geschossfläche als Rippendecken mit Ziegelhohlkörpern soll für Bibliothekslasten überprüft und erdbebensicher ertüchtigt werden. Rechnerische Nachweise und ein früherer Belastungsversuch mit Wasserballast ergaben keine ausreichende Tragsicherheit. Um einen sehr aufwendigen Dübelverbund der geplanten Aufbetonschicht zur Herstellung der erforderlichen Platten‐ und Scheibensteifigkeit zu vermeiden, ist im März 2009 an repräsentativen Testbereichen die Tragwirkung eines flächigen Haftverbunds in situ erprobt worden. Aus den Ergebnissen der zerstörungsfreien Ermittlung der Grenzschnittgrößen für das Verbundsystem Bestand — Verbundschicht — Aufbeton konnte anschließend in einem hybriden Verfahren die Tragsicherheit für Bibliothekslasten q = 6,0 kN/m² sowie die Erdbebensicherheit rechnerisch nachgewiesen werden. Die Belastungsversuche in situ erforderten regelbare Versuchslasten bis zu ΣF = 360 kN je Deckenfeld und haben eine Versuchsdauer von 2 Wochen in Anspruch genommen. Das gesamte Equipment wurde per LKW nach Rom transportiert und wog etwa 8 t. German Archaeologicial Institute in Rome — Structural safety for library loads and earthquake‐proof with hybrid statics. The Federal Republic of Germany supports the German Archaeological Institute in Rome. The 8‐storey steal concrete frame building from 1963 with 6000 m² storey area has ribbed slabs with hollow‐bricks should be enforced for library use and earthquake‐proof. From Numerical calculations and a former loading test with water ballast, no adequate structural safety results. In March 2009 at adequate test areas the bearing capacity of a mineral resin‐bonding was tested in situ to avoid a very expensive stud bond for the planned blinding concrete for the necessary slab stiffness. From the non‐destructive evaluation of the limit stress resultant for the composit system “actual slab — knitting layer — structural concrete topping” the structural safety for library loads q = 6,0 kN/m² and seismic design could be verified with hybrid statics. The loading tests in situ required controllable test loads up to ΣF = 360 kN for each ceiling panel have been accomplished during two weeks. The total equipment of about 8 tons was transported by truck to Rome.     

Eine Methode zur Bewertung von Restspalten in Schweißnähten an T‐ und Kreuzstoßverbindungen

A method to assess root gaps in welded seams of T‐ and Cross joints. Design and welding codes require full penetration in case of complete butt splices. This often ends up to time‐ and cost‐intensive repair work for the executing steel work company. Quite recently, classification methods and along with these, a method of tolerating such partial penetrations (here: root gaps) to be considered right from the weld design or planning stage were actually missing, so that additional manufacturing work was preassigned from the outset. Within an AiF‐DASt‐research project [1] an assessment method has been developed basing on an accurate detection of root gaps by non‐destructive testing methods. That method guarantees the demanded structural reliability of a steel structure despite of leaving a weld that actually is to be rejected due to insufficient penetration according to the conventional codes.