Mechanical Characterization of Ancient Portuguese Riveted Bridges Steels

Ancient Portuguese riveted steel bridges, including the iconic Luiz I Bridge, exhibit significant variability in mechanical properties critical for structural safety. A study of five historic bridges revealed that materials from Luiz I, Eiffel, and Fao bridges resemble puddle steel, while those from Pinhao and Trezoi bridges align with mild steel. Notably, only the Pinhao bridge's material met current toughness standards, with others showing deficient properties under cyclic loading. Fatigue crack propagation data was successfully modeled using Paris’s law, offering insights for retrofitting designs to mitigate degradation in aging structures.

RAPOSO, P., CORREIA, J., LESIUK, G., VALENTE, I., DE JESUS, A., & CALÇADA, R. (2017). MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ANCIENT PORTUGUESE RIVETED BRIDGES STEELS. Engineering Structures and Technologies, 9(4), 214–225. https://doi.org/10.3846/2029882x.2017.1414637