The Consolidation of Steel Bridges Superstructures by prestressing

Abstract

As the working load increase causes overloading, it is mostly inefficient to consolidate the steel decks of bridges by increasing the girder section attaching new elements. (using great amount of steel, the increase of the bearing capacities is low; see the work: The Consolidation of Steel Bridges Superstructures Without Introducing Initial Stress States).
The more the allowable stress of steel is consumed by permanent load, the more this consolidation is inefficient..
Better solutions of consolidation are obtained when an initial stress state is introduced to act contrary to the stress state produced by loads.
The following consolidation solutions have been taken into consideration:
1. The consolidation by enhancing the base of the girder section with chord plates applied directly on the base of the pre-flexion girder
2. The consolidation with pre-stressed steel rod