How to survey and safeguard a sensitive load-bearing structure above a section of railway line? This was the challenge facing REVOTEC, the Vienna-based bridge monitoring specialist. The solution: KiTraffic Statistics, the Weigh In Motion (WIM) system from Kistler. Thanks to reliable measurements of real traffic loads, local authorities can prosecute offenders and prevent violations – even if the legal basis is uncertain.
Making bridges safe and maintaining them correctly presents a major challenge in many countries around the world – especially in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (the 'DACH' region). Many of these structures are getting on in years: they need to be repaired – or at least examined and monitored – so their remaining lifetime can be determined as accurately as possible. And the worst-case scenario of a collapse must be prevented at all costs. Bridge structures come in many different sizes, and they vary greatly in terms of materials and design. But almost all of them can be monitored efficiently with Weigh In Motion systems that determine real loads and help to prevent further damage.
Founded in 2014, REVOTEC zt gmbh is a young civil engineering practice that has close ties with the Technical University of Vienna. As an expert in structural dynamics, REVOTEC numbers among Austria's leading providers of civil engineering services, and it collaborates with major infrastructure companies throughout the country in the role of system integrator. REVOTEC specializes in bridge monitoring, with a particular focus on railway bridges. Projects frequently involve fatigue assessments and vibration tests, for example on steel supporting structures that are excited artificially with electromechanical shakers. REVOTEC also provides support for industrial companies with machine foundations, vibration protection and isolation, and in many other areas.
Axle load data: the ideal complement to measurements of the supporting structure