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Faculty 6
Chair of Construction History Prof. Dr.-Ing. David Wendland

Historic iron and steel bridge bearings

history and options of preservation

We can observe a growing demand for the refurbishment or the retrofitting of the load bearing structures in numerous historic bridges. Thus their bearings made from either cast iron or steel are finally re-entering the focus of the structural engineers. But fundamental knowledge for an structural assessment of the historic bearings hardly exist - neither a proper method for an in-situ inspection of the bearings, nor reliable approaches to proof limit states, as for instance the serviceability. This lack of knowledge is very often the reason for the expensive replacement of apparently sound existing historic bearings.
The absence of reliable data for the structural assessment of these core-elements formed the trigger for the research project. Since 2004, in a first step the historical background for the development of bridge bearings has been researched and analysed. A referring dissertation thesis was submitted in May 2010.
Mainly based on this thesis, in a second step reliable methods to assess the historic bearings will be developed.

Administrator
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lorenz

Persons in charge
Dr.-Ing. Volker Wetzk (BTU)
Dipl.-Ing. Tino Eisenkolb (BAM)

Subprojects

  • Historical development of bridge bearings – Dipl.-Ing. Volker Wetzk; Dissertation thesis at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Urban Planning of the BTU Cottbus, 2005-2010.
  • Guideline for the structural assessment of bridge bearings which are still in use and made of cast iron or steel; Research project in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) and supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Abschlussbericht

Service
Assessment of historic bearings made of iron or steel.
Contact: Dr.-Ing. Volker Wetzk

Handling period
seit 2004

Funding
2nd project component: German Research Foundation (DFG)

Graduate Theses
  • Pannasch, Fr.:  Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - The Validity of Thermo-Mechanic Measurements to Identify the Historic Bearing's Material. Master thesis at the BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg, 2014
  • Brechel, Chr.: Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - The Capability of Hardness Measurements to Identify the Historic Bearing's Material. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg, 2014.
  • Renger, Th.: Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - the potential of the chemical In-situ-analysis for the characterization of material. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg, 2014.
  • Pahlow, Cl.: Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - das Potential von Miniatur-Druckproben für die Materialcharakterisierung. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2013.
  • Sciarrotta, C.: Lagerlose Brücken – Historische Entwicklung und bisherige Erfahrungen. Studienarbeit an der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2013.
  • Witschel, St.: Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - Numerical Analysis of the Contact Zone. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg, 2013.
  • Miene, Cl.: Assessing historic bridge bearings – Investigation of the materials’ isotropy at a roller bearing cast of steel at about 1939. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus, 2013.
  • Dogru, M.: Assessing historic bridge bearings – Fabrication and properties of cast steel produced in Germany between 1870 and 1950. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus, 2013.
  • Pannasch, Fr.: Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - The Capability of Thermo-mechanic Characteristics to Identify the Historic Bearing's Material - Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus, 2012.
  • Hocke, A.: Hypothesis of Collapse at the Example of Historic Bridge Bearings made of Cast Iron and Steel - Master thesis at the HTW Berlin, 2012.
  • Kleinfeldt, H.: Assessing Historic Bridge Bearings - Potential of Magnetic-Inductive Measurements for the Characterization of the Material. Bachelor thesis at the BTU Cottbus, 2011.
  • Wetzk, V.: Brückenlager. 1850-1950. Dissertation an der Fakultät Architektur, Bauingenieurwesen und Stadtplanung der BTU Cottbus, 2010.
    Informationen
Publications
  • Wetzk, V.: The Use of Steel Castings in Mechanical and Civil Engineering – Germany. 1850-1950.  Proceedings of the 5th International Congress on Construction History. Chicago, June 3-7, 2015, Vol.3, pp.585-592.
  • Wetzk, V.: Themed Issue on Bridge Bearings (Editorial). Proceeding ICE – Engineering History and Heritage 168 (2015), May, pp. 53-54.
  • Wetzk, V.: Brückenlager im Bestand (Editorial als Herausgeber). Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.877-878.
  • Gregorski, H.: Brückenlager im Bestand - Erfahrungen der DB Netz AG. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.879-882.
  • Wetzk, V.: Historische Lager aus Stahlguss - Werkstoffuntersuchungen. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.883-889.
  • Eisenkolb, T.; Mehdianpour, M.: Bewertung historischer Brückenlager - Experimentelle Untersuchung zur Rollreibung. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.890-897.
  • Wetzk, V.; Dogru, D. M.: Historischer Stahl(form)guss - Herstellung. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.898-902.
  • Schacht, G.; Hoffmann, N.; Marx, S.: Federgelenke - Anwendung im Hoch- und Brückenbau. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.903-910.
  • Mende, V.: Brückenlager sprengen - Minenanlagen zur Zerstörung von Brückenpfeilern. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.911-920.
  • Riedel, T.; Schwarz, R.; Bretzke, G.: Umgang mit Stahlgusslagern - am Beispiel der Sanierung des historischen Eisenbahnviadukts Angelroda. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.924-926.
  • Other, L.: Umgang mit Stahlgusslagern - am Beispiel der Sanierung der Lechbrücke, Augsburg. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.927-930.
  • Cohen, J. M.: A U.S phenomenon: Tall, Slender Bridge Rocker Bearings. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.931-933.
  • Balscheit, H.; Else, M.: Bewertung historischer Brückenlager - Härte- und Verformungsmessungen. Stahlbau 82 (2013), H.12, S.934-937.
  • Mehdianpour, M.; Eisenkolb, T.: Experimental Investigations on Sliding Friction of Historic Bridge Bearings. In: Jasienko, J. (Ed.): Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, Wroclaw, Oct 15-18, 2012, vol.3, S.2181-2188.
  • Wetzk, V.: Historic Bridge Bearings – Identifying Material Characteristics: Compression Test. In: Jasienko, J. (Ed.): Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, Wroclaw, Oct 15-18, 2012, vol.3, S.2251-2257.
  • Wetzk, V.: Historic Bridge Bearings – Material Research on Cast Steel. In: Carvais, R. et al. (Ed.): Nuts & Bolts of Construction History (Proceedings of the 4th International Congress on Construction History, Paris, July 3-7, 2012), Paris: Picard, 2012, vol.3, pp.243-252.
  • Eisenkolb, T.; Mehdianpour, M.: Bewertung historischer Brückenlager - Das Kontaktproblem - Teil 2. Stahlbau 81 (2012), S.510-518.
  • Wetzk, V.; Eisenkolb, T.; Mehdianpour, M.: Bewertung historischer Brückenlager - Das Kontaktproblem - Teil 1. Stahlbau 80 (2011), S.404-412.
  • Wetzk, V.: „Alt, doch noch immer rüstig!“ – Historische Brückenlager und das Berührungsproblem. In: Schmidt, L.; Bantelmann, A.: (Hrsg.): Forschen, Bauen & Erhalten. Jahrbuch 2008/2009. Berlin, Bonn 2008.
  • Wetzk, V.: Bridge Bearings - A Historical Survey. In: Dunkeld, M. et al. (Ed.): Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Construction History, Queens´ College, Cambridge University, March 29- April 2, 2006. vol.3, pp. 3333-3355.
    Dokument
  • Wetzk, V.: Assessing historical bridge bearings - The development of approaches to the "tangential problem". In: Lourenço, P. B. et al. (Ed.): Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, New Delhi, Nov 6-8, 2006, vol. 2, S. 1031-1040.
    Dokument
  • Wetzk, V.: Entwicklung der Brückenlager - Geschichtlicher Überblick. Bautechnik 83 (2006), H.10, S. 721-732. 
    Dokument
Lectures
  • Wetzk, V.: Historische Bemessung von Brückenlagern im Spannungsfeld von Empirie und Theorie. Jahrestagung 2015 der Gesellschaft für Bautechnikgeschichte, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, 23.04.2015.
  • Wetzk, V.: Stahlgussrollenlager – Typisierung, Eigenschaften, Schadensbilder. Workshop „Fachlicher Erfahrungsaustausch Gewerk KIB“ der DB Netz AG, Leipzig, 16.10.2013.
  • Wetzk, V.: Historische Brückenlager – Erfahrungen aus Theorie und Praxis. Vortrag auf der Fachtagung der Fachbeauftragten und Planungsingenieure für Konstruktiver Ingenieurbau der DB Netz AG, Erfurt, 11.09.13.
  • Eisenkolb, T.: Experimental Investigations on Sliding Friction of Historic Bridge Bearings. 8th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions. Centennial Hall Congress Center Wroclaw, 17.10.2012.
  • Wetzk, V.: Historic Bridge Bearings – Identifying Material Characteristics: Compression Test. 8th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions. Centennial Hall Congress Center Wroclaw, 15.10.2012.
  • Wetzk, V.: Historic Bridge Bearings – Material Research on Cast Steel. 4th International Congress on Construction History, ENSA Paris La Villette, 05.07. 2012.
  • Wetzk, V.: Assessing historical bridge bearings - The development of approaches to the "tangential problem". 5th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, New Delhi, 07.11.2006.
  • Wetzk, V.: Bridge Bearings - A Historical Survey. 2nd International Congress on Construction History, Queens' College, University of Cambridge, 29.03.2006.