Examination

Case study Gablenzbrücke

One of the first in reinforced concrete

Facts and figures

Client:
City of Kiel, Civil Engineering Office
Object:
Arched bridge over the electrified tracks of Kiel Central Station
Design:
BÖGER + JÄCKLE Gesellschaft Beratender Ingenieure mbH & Co. KG
Services:
Examination
Building inspection
Special features:
  • Creation of comprehensive building documentation
  • Photo documentation
  • All measurement protocols
  • Damage sketches on columns and superstructures
  • Test report per TBW with SIB structures
  • Recommendations for measures/repairs

Beam versus reinforced concrete bridge

The implementation of a reinforced concrete bridge was still relatively new at the beginning of the 20th century. In Kiel, however, there were good reasons to build a steel arch bridge instead of a beam bridge: On the one hand, the swampy subsoil made it difficult to build a retaining wall and ramp and, on the other hand, the construction with only two piers made of iron and reinforced concrete hardly took up any of the railroad land.

Almost 100 years later, it was clear that the bridge would no longer be able to withstand the daily traffic volume of around 20,000 vehicles in the long term. The city therefore decided to demolish the bridge and build a new one, which was completed at the end of 2008: a reinforced concrete arch bridge.

Services

In the area of structural testing, Trebes creates complete documentation

Photo documentation

All measurement protocols

Damage sketches on columns and superstructures

Test report per TBW with SIB structures

Recommendations for measures/repairs

East-West connection

The Gablenz Bridge has spanned the railroad tracks since 1910 and connects Kiel's eastern and western districts.

Traffic safety/truck-mounted work platform

Inspection of the soffit and supports of the composite bridge in the road area with corresponding traffic safety.

Measurements

Checking the bearings for damage and measuring the bearing position.

Testing concrete parts

Check for spalling, exposed reinforcement, moisture penetration, cracking, etc.

Testing steel parts

Thickness measurements and testing for corrosion, flaking coating, deformation, etc.

Residual cross-section thickness measurements

Inspection of the underside of the bridge structure on the uncoated steel components during 2 nightly shutdown periods using a 2-way Unimog.

Construction of the Gablenz Bridge with four substructures:

TBW 1

Arched bridge over the electrified tracks of Kiel Central Station

BÖGER + JÄCKLE Gesellschaft Beratender Ingenieure mbH & Co. KG

Building inspection

Arched bridge over the electrified tracks of Kiel Central Station

  • 1-span composite bridge (68.39 x 25.80 m)
  • Reinforced concrete abutment in axis 10, column row in axis 20
  • Steel arch completely with, longitudinal girder partly without corrosion protection coating
  • Roadway slab made of precast reinforced concrete elements with in-situ concrete, 4 spherical bearings in total
  • In the south incl. vertical contact protection, in the north with horizontal contact protection

TBW 2 and 3

  • Connecting bridge north and south over Kaistraße and the parking lot to the east of it
  • 11-span composite bridge with 2 composite girders (271.35 x 12.88 m)
  • Abutment in axis 130, row of supports in axis 20 to axis 120
  • Composite beams with corrosion protection coating
  • Roadway slab made of precast reinforced concrete elements with in-situ concrete
  • Reinforced concrete columns, 24 spherical bearings in total

TBW 4

  • Ramp structure, retaining structure
  • Reinforced concrete