Determining strength of rubble masonry of bridges’ supports being in operation

The purpose of this article is to create a methodology for determining the design strength of rubble masonry of bridge supports meeting the modern safety requirements for transport structures. The article contains data on the use of the rubble masonry in solid supports of railway bridges. Development of methodology of determining the permissible stresses on the rubble masonry, and the practice of applying the design strength of the rubble masonry in regulatory documents are considered. Analysis of the research works is carried out, according to which the design strength of the rubble masonry of solid supports is determined when calculating the load-bearing capacity. The experimental data of European scientists in the field of determining the strength characteristics of stone masonries are considered. A domestic method for determining the design values of strength characteristics for building materials used in transport construction is presented. The main deficiencies of the existing method for determining the design strength of rubble masonry are defined and suggestions are made for its clarification. The article concludes with the formulation of tasks required to be solved for clarification of strength characteristics of the operated railway supports made of rubble masonry.