Head of the project: prof. Ing. Vičan Josef, CSc.

Research team: doc. Ing. Odrobiňák Jaroslav, PhD., Ing. Gocál Jozef, PhD., Ing. Hlinka Richard, PhD., Ing. Farbák Matúš, PhD., Ing. Prokop Jozef, PhD.

Duration: january 2021 – December 2023                             

The steel load-bearing structures of bridges show a number of details with the potential for failures. Whether it is riveted structures, with details verified by service, or more modern welded load-bearing structures with a number of known and newer details causing more or less serious failures. These are usually joints of elements within the load bearing structural system, where welds are a very effective type of connection from the realization point of view, but with a significant potential for the occurrence of dangerous failures, especially fatigue cracks. Although a large number of details causing possible failures are known and documented in standards for fatigue verification, their impact on global analysis as well as on the reliability and serviceability of the bridge is not explored. Especially the uniform systematization of details and failures with their impact on behaviour of the system in service and the transition ability of the service load is not processed. The presented project has set itself the goal to process this issue and provide data for elaboration of a catalogue of failures of steel bridges.

Head of the project: doc. Ing. Odrobiňák Jaroslav, PhD.

Research team: prof. Ing. Vičan Josef, CSc., Ing. Hlinka Richard, PhD., Ing. Jošt Jozef, PhD., Ing. Farbák Matúš, PhD., Ing. Chromčák Jakub, PhD., Ing. Prokop Jozef, PhD.        

Duration: January 2021 – December 2023                             

The project deals with the resistance of elements of existing bridges, for which the loss of stability of the main load-bearing structure from its plane is one of the main limiting criteria. It uses modern in situ methods using 3D laser scanning to detect geometric imperfections. Using the methods of statistics and numerical mathematics, the measured data are processed into a unique, highly specialized database for selected construction systems. Subsequently, in the numerical global analyses of selected bridges, a geometrically and also materially nonlinear global analysis with included real and standard imperfections is applied. The research will be supplemented by experimental analyses in laboratory conditions, where the selected elements will be experimentally analysed, taking into account the measured real geometric and structural imperfections. The aim of the project is to find out whether the current standard approaches in this area are in coincidence with the current state found on existing structures.

Head of the project: doc. Ing. Koteš Peter, PhD.              

Research team: prof. Ing. Moravčík Martin, PhD., Ing. Kotula Patrik, PhD., doc. Ing. Brodňan Miroslav, PhD., Ing. Bahleda František, PhD., Ing. Bujňáková Petra, PhD., Ing. Vavruš Martin, PhD., Ing. Kraľovanec Jakub, PhD., Ing. Zahuranec Michal                           

Duration: January 2021 – December 2023                             

Degradation of materials by chemical or Physico-chemical effects of the surrounding environment (environmental loads) is an increasingly serious problem not only in Slovakia. Increasing environmental pollution causes an increase of the corrosive aggressiveness. Damage to structural materials due to degradation factors causes a significant reduction in reliability and shortens the remaining lifetime of building structures, especially bridges. In addition, inadequate maintenance of civil infrastructure and an absence of regular inspection leads to the occurrence of serious failures, which in a very short time can cause emergency conditions of these objects or even their collapse. The project is focused on the study of failures of reinforced concrete, prestressed and masonry structures, and bridges. In situ measurements will be performed on real structures. At the same time, laboratory samples for accelerated measurements in corrosion chambers and numerical modelling will be used in this project.

Head of the project: prof. Ing. Moravčík Martin, PhD.   

Research team: doc. Ing. Koteš Peter, PhD., Ing. Kotula Patrik, PhD., doc. Ing. Brodňan Miroslav, PhD., Ing. Bahleda František, PhD., Ing. Bujňáková Petra, PhD., Ing. Jošt Jozef, PhD., Ing. Krkoška Lukáš, Ing. Vavruš Martin, PhD., Ing. Kraľovanec Jakub, PhD.

Duration: January 2019 – December 2021                             

Recently, in Slovakia, more attention has been paid to aging infrastructure with increased traffic on road bridges. Some prestressed bridges built in the 1960s are currently in servicefor over 50 years, and it signs to their bad technical condition. For example, bridges Podbiel, Ružín, Nižná, which had to be from 2015 even closed. Several serious failures, such as excessive deformations, wide cracks, and severe degradation of the prestressing are observed on the structures. Especially the very low level of prestressing protection and the development of corrosion attack. This project is focused to respond to the situation and deals with diagnostics options using both direct and indirect methods to determine the current level of prestressing. Subsequently, the ambition is to deal with the possibilities of rehabilitation such bridges by the application of additional external prestressing or CFRP materials.