Load carrying capacity of webplates of the Fluegelweg bridge

The Fluegelweg bridge crossing the river Elbe in Dresden was built in 1930 as one of the largest riveted steel plate girder bridges in Europe. Some recent analysis calculations discovered a severe lack of web buckling safety using codes of practice based on the linear buckling theory, whereas a tension field model was used in the original design of the bridge. As an essential part of several investigations, a nonlinear Finite-Elements-Analysis was undertaken to find the toad-bearing capacity of the critical girder parts, considering measured predeflection and the buckling eigenform of the web. The investigations have shown clearly the postbuckling behavior of the web plates, resulting in the decision to use the bridge further on for a limited time.