State of Prestressing Analysis of 62-Year-Old Bridge

Ageing infrastructure leads to the need for a proper assessment and final decisions considering its state. In the case of prestressed concrete structures, knowledge of the residual state of prestressing is the crucial factor. Therefore, reliable diagnostic techniques for determining the residual value of the prestressing force are needed. This information is subsequently used in the process of the quantification of the load-carrying capacity and remaining service life of prestressed concrete structures. The presented paper introduces an evaluation of a monolithic 62-year-old prestressed concrete bridge, which was built in 1959. The assessment was carried out as a result of concerns after exposure of the anchorage area of the bridge, which was executed during the construction of the new system of anti-flood barriers in the town of Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia. Therefore, the diagnostic survey and subsequent determination of the residual prestressing force included the application of the saw-cut method, the structural response method, and the Barkhausen noise technique. Finally, the experimental program supported by numerical analysis provided information about the actual state of prestressing in the bridge. Results of performed analysis suggested that the state of prestressing of the bridge in question does not significantly differ from the expected level of prestressing after 62 years of service. Subsequently, obtained conclusions enabled the determination of the load-carrying capacity for future use in the form of a pedestrian bridge.