Brückenertüchtigung - eine notwendige Voraussetzung für ein zuverlässiges Fernstraßennetz

Bridge strengthening - a necessary prerequisite for a reliable highway network

The traffic forecast assumes a sharp increase in goods transport by road. In the future, this will result in an even higher traffic load and thus to an even higher degree of wear of the bridges. Many older bridges can no longer fully meet the continually increasing requirements. These structures, including many large valley and river bridges, are affected more and more by wear and tear and damages. They are located almost exclusively in the old federal states. The question arises as to how these bridges can be used or even strengthened in the future. With the strategy for post-test calculations and strengthening of the bridge stock developed by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development a nationally uniform approach was elaborated together with the Federal Highway Institute and the road construction administration of the federal states. This concept aims at examining for everyone of the individual bridges concerned whether it still meets the requirements of heavy-goods transport today and in the future. The so-called post-test calculation guideline specially developed for this purpose forms the core of this task. What needs to be done is to improve the structural condition of the road bridges as well as to eliminate deficits of the load-bearing capacity. The objective of all efforts has to be the prevention of extensive traffic restrictions up to the closure of a bridge.