Construction and Testing of a CFRP-prestressed Railway Bridge Prototype

Abstract

This paper presents a new single-span railway bridge system, currently under development by the authors in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Railways and further partners, combining high-performance concrete, stainless reinforcing steel and CFRP prestressing for maximum durability. A significant milestone in the project was the successful construction and testing of a 6,5 x 1,7 m2 prototype consisting of four pretensioned longitudinal girders; each prestressed with 12 Ø8,2 mm sand-coated CFRP rods. The paper discusses selected aspects of the sustainability of the novel material combination and the construction of the prototype. Furthermore, the structural behaviour of the prototype is analysed, focusing on its response under shear forces.