Actions on bridges - A comparison of traffic loads for railway bridges from traffic load models and measured data

In original as well as possible rehabilitation projects, the actions of traffic loads determine the dimensions significantly. Using current standard limit state levels, older structures are clearly undersized in many cases. As a consequence, structural reinforcements are often essential in case of extension works. Furthermore, in practice, the assessment of sustainability of structures is difficult because most of the time there is no information given regarding the real actions of traffic loads. Motivated by such an unsatisfied state of affairs, closer investigations of the effects of traffic loads taken from measurement data are discussed in this article. Those investigations are the basis for comparisons between the effects of real loads and normative load models which are shown by way of calculation in different systems. In comparison to standardized loads, significantly lower actions are clearly recognizable. For this reason, the answer to the question why individual railway bridges still work, although its theoretical durability has already been reached, might be given. In addition, the resulting optimization potential of the activation of real load reserves and respectively the clearly higher life expectancy of existing structures is shown below.