Prüfung, Überwachung und Wartung von Litzenbündelseilen - Am Beispiel der Elbebrücke Schönebeck

Testing, Monitoring and Maintenance of Parallel Strand Cables - Example: Elbe Bridge Schoenebeck

Parallel strand cables for cable stayed bridges are easy to monitor which is verified on the Elbe Bridge Schoenebeck. After cable installation, several tests were carried out that were partly required as a verification test by the bidding procedure and partly used as reference measurements for future structure inspections.
Vibration measurements that were evaluated while specifically taking into account bending stiffness were used to determine stay cable forces. The vibration measurements were also evaluated with regard to the damping behavior of the stays. Elastomagnetic force sensors were also installed to permit easy force measurement during detailed inspection.
A testing device that had been especially designed for parallel strand cables was used for detecting possible wire fractures outside of the anchorages. Thanks to magnetizing coils that are placed around the stay cable circumference, this testing device permits full magnetization even for relatively small duct filling levels and thus also ensures a detection of prestressing steel fractures within the cable.