DEAD LOAD EVALUATION IN REINFORCED CONCRETE COLUMNS USING RELEASED STRAIN MEASUREMENTS

A large and busy subway station was undergoing important structural modifications to be the main commuting point between an existing line and a new one under construction. Its reinforced concrete structure was built several years ago assuming the new line would have parallel tunnels to hold its two railways, but it had to be adapted as the new line was being dug by a bigger machine to settle its two railways inside a single tunnel. Consequently, several of its columns should be removed and properly replaced to allow the passage of the digging machine and the new line adjacent railways without interrupting the station services. Here, Castro et al determine the required loads in the columns affected by the station upgrade.