Fatigue assessment of steel riveted railway bridges: Full-scale tests and analytical approach

This paper describes a double experimental and analytical study of the fatigue behaviour Quisi Ferrandet Bridges, twin 170 m long steel railway bridges constructed between 1913 1915 with typical Pratt truss structures riveted connections. These are part Spanish national network connecting towns Alicante Denia, one key networks in Valencia Region (Spain). The laboratory investigation involved testing ICITECH laboratories at Universitat Politècnica de València of: (i) full-scale bridge span (ii) an upper cross beam from Bridge. During tests, Linear Variable Displacement Transducers (LVDTs) Strain Gauge (SG) sensors were used to capture possible nucleation propagation cracks. Fatigue test carried out on identified: life critical detail, hot-spots along (iii) strain redistribution element during crack growth. results adopted calibrate elastic numerical model whole structure, which was turn estimate Bridge's remaining life. definition class detail calculated by S–N curves method, according Eurocode 3, considering available information bridges' loading histories.