Quantification of the Structural Stresses in Steel Bridges by Means of the X-Ray Diffraction Technique: The Case of the Bizkaia Bridge (Industrial World Heritage Site in Spain)

摘要

One of the most interesting challenges for the scientific community in the field of structural analysis is the development of new non-destructive experimental techniques (NDT). The research presented in this report addresses the applicability of the X-ray diffraction technique for quantification of the on-site stresses in metallic (steel) structures using standard portable equipment. The paper describes the process of obtaining the structural stresses in two zones of the Bizkaia Bridge (Industrial World Heritage), which is located in the Bizkaia province (Spain) between the towns of Portugalete and Las Arenas. In a few cases, applications of the technique have been performed before. The quality of the experimental technique, as well as the usefulness of the on-site methodology in the framework of historical constructions, is presented.