A 95-Year-Old Concrete Arch Bridge: From Materials Characterization to Structural Analysis

Abstract

The structural analysis of a 95-year-old concrete arch bridge located in Jagodnik (Poland) is performed in this paper, in order to check its behavior under today’s traffic loads. The mechanical properties of both the concrete and the reinforcement are investigated by testing cores and bar stubs extracted from the bridge. Structural analysis confirms that the bridge meets today’s load requirements in terms of bearing capacity, serviceability state, and that the adopted structural improvements (a new deck slab on top of the existing structure and a layer of mortar to protect the surface of the old concrete) are effective. In this way, the 95-year-old arch bridge was given a new life. The structural improvements show how combining numerical modelling and laboratory tests can contribute to the preservation of an old—though fairly simple—and valuable structure, otherwise destined to demolition, with both environmental and economic benefits.

Properties of Old Concrete Built in the Former Leipziger Palace

“…123-year-old concrete bridge Paulík [17] Slovakia 107-year-old bridge Rabiega et al [18] Poland 104-year-old bridge Sena-Cruz et al [19] Portugal 100-year-old bridge Słomka-Słupik et al [20] Poland 100-year-old reinforced concrete dome Onysyk et al [21] Poland 100-year-old bridge Witzany and Zigler [22] Czech Republic 100-year-old reinforced concrete flat slab bridge Wolert et al [23] USA 100-year-old reinforced concrete viaduct Jóźwiak-Niedźwiecka and Tucholsk [24] Poland 95-year-old viaduct Hellebois et al ([25,26]) Belgium 95-year-old concrete dam Blanco et al [27] Spain 95-year-old concrete arch bridge Ambroziak and Malinowski [28], Ambroziak et al [29] Poland 90-year old concrete mortar Trägårdh and Lagerblad [30] Sweden 84-year-old reinforced concrete bridge Gebauer and Harni [31] Switzerland 80-year-old reinforced concrete structure Melchers and Chaves [32] Australia 70-years-old concrete office building Ambroziak et al [ The present investigation of old concrete is related to a former palace building, called Leipziger Palace. The former Leipziger Palace in Wrocław (Poland) was built on the site of a riding school, from 1872 to 1874, by the banker Ignacy (Ignatz) Leipziger.…”

Advanced Structural Concrete Materials in Bridges

“…The insights of these experiments, as well as the literature review carried out by the authors, provide guidance to bridge engineers who are faced with the problem of assessing existing bridges using historical concrete mixes. Then, the authors used this information in [ 8 ] to perform a structural analysis of the bridge. Using insights from the material investigation resulted in the conclusion that the bridge fulfilled the code requirements and that it could remain in service.…”