42
K. Jurasz-Drozdowska and W. Radomski
4 Summary
Impact damage to bridge structures is becoming more common in practice. In engineering practice, it introduces safeguards in the form of extreme gates limiting the
object, traffic lights, as well as warning signs. Unfortunately, even such actions are
not able to stop drivers from trying to “fit” under the object, which is the result of a
lack of imagination of drivers and total ignorance of regulations and restrictions.
The numerical analyzes presented in the article, made using the Sofistik program,
show how the work of the bridge structure changes in the event of damage to the
girders. In the calculation example, damage to three main beams was modeled, the
scale of which is not as large as in the case described in article [10] (where the
extreme girder was destroyed along its entire height). However, this was enough to
show what disorder occurs at bending moments. The most overloaded was girder No.
3, located in the middle of the span (damage to the bottom shelf) and girder number
4 that was not damaged. These girders were loaded with higher values of bending
moments in relation to the initial model (without damage). It is worth noting that
the girders in the articulated system are more overloaded, and there are many such
bridge structures in Poland. As a rule, these are constructions of several decades,
often built using these joints in their arrangement.
The next stage of the work will be the analysis of the impact of damage on
the operation of the bridge construction depending on the location of this damage.
The article assumes that the failure occurred in the middle of the second span, but
additional analysis would be diversified by “shifting” this damage to different places
of the structure, e.g. at the intermediate support or in the extreme pass. The topic
is very broad and gives further scope for further analysis. However, in any case
where there is structural damage resulting from the impact of an oversized vehicle,
immediate safety measures must be taken. The effects of this type of bridge failure
are both economically and socially significant. It should be assumed that the building
is in a state of emergency and is not suitable for temporary use, or in extreme cases a
decision will be made to close the building and the need to temporarily support the
damaged span.
References
1. Scheer J, Wilharm L (2010) Failed bridges: case studies, causes and consequences
2. Smith DW Why do bridges fail, 1977-11, Civil Engineering, American Society of Civil
Engineers. ISSN 0885-7024
3. B˛ etkowski P, Pradelok S (2007) Uszkodzenie i tymczasowa naprawa typowego kratowego
mostu kolejowego. In: XXIII Konferencja Naukowo-Techniczna Awarie Budowlane, SzczecinMi˛ edzyzdroje, 23–26 maja 2007
4. Budka E, Lewandowski G, Kosuch M, Lorenc W, Rabiega J (2009) Przykłady uszkodze´ n
konstrukcji mostowych spowodowanych uderzeniami pojazdów. In: XXIV Konferencja
Naukowo-Techniczna Awarie Budowlane, Szczecin-Mi˛ edzyzdroje, 26–29 maja 2009
K. Jurasz-Drozdowska and W. Radomski
4 Summary
Impact damage to bridge structures is becoming more common in practice. In engineering practice, it introduces safeguards in the form of extreme gates limiting the
object, traffic lights, as well as warning signs. Unfortunately, even such actions are
not able to stop drivers from trying to “fit” under the object, which is the result of a
lack of imagination of drivers and total ignorance of regulations and restrictions.
The numerical analyzes presented in the article, made using the Sofistik program,
show how the work of the bridge structure changes in the event of damage to the
girders. In the calculation example, damage to three main beams was modeled, the
scale of which is not as large as in the case described in article [10] (where the
extreme girder was destroyed along its entire height). However, this was enough to
show what disorder occurs at bending moments. The most overloaded was girder No.
3, located in the middle of the span (damage to the bottom shelf) and girder number
4 that was not damaged. These girders were loaded with higher values of bending
moments in relation to the initial model (without damage). It is worth noting that
the girders in the articulated system are more overloaded, and there are many such
bridge structures in Poland. As a rule, these are constructions of several decades,
often built using these joints in their arrangement.
The next stage of the work will be the analysis of the impact of damage on
the operation of the bridge construction depending on the location of this damage.
The article assumes that the failure occurred in the middle of the second span, but
additional analysis would be diversified by “shifting” this damage to different places
of the structure, e.g. at the intermediate support or in the extreme pass. The topic
is very broad and gives further scope for further analysis. However, in any case
where there is structural damage resulting from the impact of an oversized vehicle,
immediate safety measures must be taken. The effects of this type of bridge failure
are both economically and socially significant. It should be assumed that the building
is in a state of emergency and is not suitable for temporary use, or in extreme cases a
decision will be made to close the building and the need to temporarily support the
damaged span.
References
1. Scheer J, Wilharm L (2010) Failed bridges: case studies, causes and consequences
2. Smith DW Why do bridges fail, 1977-11, Civil Engineering, American Society of Civil
Engineers. ISSN 0885-7024
3. B˛ etkowski P, Pradelok S (2007) Uszkodzenie i tymczasowa naprawa typowego kratowego
mostu kolejowego. In: XXIII Konferencja Naukowo-Techniczna Awarie Budowlane, SzczecinMi˛ edzyzdroje, 23–26 maja 2007
4. Budka E, Lewandowski G, Kosuch M, Lorenc W, Rabiega J (2009) Przykłady uszkodze´ n
konstrukcji mostowych spowodowanych uderzeniami pojazdów. In: XXIV Konferencja
Naukowo-Techniczna Awarie Budowlane, Szczecin-Mi˛ edzyzdroje, 26–29 maja 2009