Material Behavior and Fatigue Assessment of Old Steel Bridges of the Spanish Conventional Rail Network.

Álvaro Presno Vélez,Octavio Ariñez Bruna,Antonio Bernardo Sánchez,Marta Menéndez Fernández,Diego Madera Abella,Laura Álvarez De Prado

doi:10.3390/ma14185275

Álvaro Presno Vélez, Octavio Ariñez Bruna + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14185275

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Abstract

This work presented salient features of the steel behavior of seven metallic bridges close to, or over, 100 years old, among the Spanish conventional rail network as well as the results of a fatigue life expectancy study. A preliminary study of the properties of the constituent materials obtained from the bridges samples was carried out followed by dynamic fatigue tests under service representative loads. Due to the steelmaking techniques in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, disperse fatigue behavior results were obtained. However, the wide safety margins with which these bridges were designed, as well as the mechanical properties of the steel (relatively good mechanical resistance but with low ductility), seem to guarantee a long fatigue life. This estimate decreases sharply with increasing loads.

Highlights

IntroductionThe wide safety margins with which these bridges were designed, as well as the mechanical properties of the steel (relatively good mechanical resistance but with low ductility), seem to guarantee a long fatigue life
Sánchez, A.; Bruna, O.A.; Abella, D.M.; de Prado, L.Á.; Fernández, Department of Mining Technology, Topography and Structures, University of León, 24071 León, Spain; Abstract: This work presented salient features of the steel behavior of seven metallic bridges close to, or over, 100 years old, among the Spanish conventional rail network as well as the results of a fatigue life expectancy study
Several tests were carried out to characterize the metallic materials on seven bridges of the Spanish conventional rail system

Summary

Introduction

The wide safety margins with which these bridges were designed, as well as the mechanical properties of the steel (relatively good mechanical resistance but with low ductility), seem to guarantee a long fatigue life This estimate decreases sharply with increasing loads. One of the most concerning problems for these structures is that many of them are reaching or have exceeded their original design life This fact, altogether with the growth of the average weights transported and the high number of stress cycles, has created the necessity of metallic railway bridges structural assessment (with special consideration to fatigue-induced damage).

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