RLD Stahlbrücken - More economic forecast of the rest life span of steel railway bridges with open roadway [Original in deutscher Sprache: Wirtschaftlichere Prognose der Restlebensdauer von stählernen Eisenbahnbrücken mit offener Fahrbahn]

Many open-track steel railway bridges erected in the 1950s and 60s will soon reach the end of their design service life according to common, conservative assessment methods. The objective of this research project is the development of practical, methodically unambiguous procedures for the remaining fatigue life assessment of welded components of open-track steel railway bridges, with and without existing defects/cracks, using improved information regarding the load as well as the resistance side, and including the use of fracture mechanical concepts and material properties.