The three-day load test on the closed Bad Schandau Elbe bridge has begun. In the morning, a remote-controlled heavy-duty module weighing a total of 80 tons drove over the structure, as Stephan Berger, Head of the Mobility Department at the Ministry of Infrastructure, explained. This is therefore the heaviest load applied during the experiment.
Forklift trucks distribute loads
Following this, forklift trucks distributed weights - modules weighing 10 tons each - at predetermined points on the bridge to create a point load. Further test runs will then be carried out with the heavy-duty module until Thursday.
The load test is intended to test the load-bearing capacity of the structure. The installed measuring systems will be used to determine whether it is possible to reopen the bridge. According to the ministry, a final decision is expected one to a maximum of three weeks after the test. Cars and light trucks up to 3.5 tons as well as special trips for buses could then pass, according to previous information.
Bridge closed since November
The Elbe bridge in Bad Schandau was unexpectedly closed to all traffic on 7 November for safety reasons. Shipping traffic can now pass again without restriction. This was preceded by a special inspection following the partial collapse of Dresden's Carola Bridge.
Henningsdorf prestressing steel is used in both structures. As the bridge in Bad Schandau was built immediately after the Carola Bridge using a similar construction method, it is similarly at risk of stress corrosion cracking, which is considered to be the cause of the collapse in Dresden.
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