Verstärkung historischer Brücken über den Main unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Schiffsanpralls

Reinforcement of historic bridges crossing the river Main considering the ship impact

A change in the ship traffic volume is expected as a result of upgrading of many European waterways. There is a correlation between an improved waterway passage, an increased ship size and higher frequency of larger ships. On the one hand, the ecological and economic advantages of the upgrading process cannot be disputed, but on the other hand, the changed shipping traffic results in additional risks, especially to bridge substructures. Most of the current bridges were built more than 30 years ago and were generally not dimensioned for horizontal forces expected from a ship impact according to modern codes. This paper provides some information on theoretical background of ship impact analysis and challenges associated with numerical modelling. In particular, it also provides two case studies of historical bridges over river Main. A detailed discussion of provided structural solution is provided along with recommendations.