Over a length of six meters, the new railway bridge crosses the stream Dürnbach in Gmund/Tegernsee. The bridge is the first railway bridge in Germany built with ultra-high performance concrete. Lifting the structure into its place within the Tegernsee Railway Line between Schaftlach and Gmund/Tegernsee completed a successful cooperation between the Technical University Munich, SSF Ingenieure and other project partners.
Oliver Fischer, professor at the Chair of Concrete Structures at Technical University Munich (TUM), has been conducting research on the innovative material for several years and provided the impetus to use ultra-high performance concrete to replace the structure in Gmund. SSF Ingenieure signed responsible for project planning (final design) and structural engineering (approval and final design as well as preparation of tenders). Thomas Lechner, project manager in charge at SSF Ingenieure, had already treated the application of the high-performance construction material in his dissertation at the chair and had thus the opportunity to put his gained knowledge into practice.
Ultra-high performance concrete distinguishes itself by a very dense matrix, which is the main distinguishing feature compared to normal or high-performance concrete. At the same time, due to its dense fabric, UHPC has a very high resistance to withstand mechanical and chemical influences. Infiltration of humidity, salt and chemicals is reduced to a minimum. Those properties make it possible to build structures of UHPC which are slenderer with less material but with the same load-bearing capacity. This as well as the use of new flat sleepers saved in total around 30 centimetres at the new railway bridge over the Dürnbach resulting in a higher flow-through cross section in case of floods.
TUM’s scientists will continue measurements during railway operation on the new bridge. The successful implementation of the railway bridge Dürnbach as the first railway bridge made of UHPC is therefore intended to increase the use of the innovative material throughout Germany.
Press release from Technical University Munich regarding Ultra-High Performance Concrete
