Sustainable Masonry Arch Railway Bridges

Abstract

Masonry arch bridges form an integral part of the railway infrastructure worldwide. It is estimated that there are over 200.000 masonry arch bridges and culverts in the European railways network that represent more than 50% of the total bridge stock in Europe with an inestimable asset value. Most of these bridges are over 100 years old and would be considered to have reached the end of their theoretical service lives if compared against current design codes. Masonry arch bridges have however stood the test of time and proved to be long-lasting structures with considerable reserve capacity and resilience. Appropriate maintenance and management are key to maintaining the bridge stock in a safe and serviceable condition. To maintain the safety of their operation it is thus necessary to confirm with appropriate assessment and testing methods that the load carrying capacity of the arches is sufficient for the current and foreseeable applied loads without accelerated deterioration, and therefore that arches remain serviceable and sustainable. The paper introduces some of the results of an international project entitled “Assessment of Masonry Arch Bridges”. The project was organised by the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the University of Pécs with the participation of several railway administrations and consultant institutions. The principle objective of the project was to develop tools that help optimise life-cycle management of masonry arch bridges by providing advancement in understanding of the deterioration process in masonry arches and develop assessment tools that enable bridge owners to determine the safe working load and residual life of arches.