Galecopper Bridge cable replacement: Resistance of corroded locked coil cable
conference paper
The stay cables of the Galecopper South bridge, a critical bridge in the Dutch highway system, were subjected to corrosion near the anchorages. Some wires of the fully locked coil cable system were found broken. Consequently, the stresses and stress ranges of the remaining wires increased compared to that in an intact cable. An assessment of the remaining strength of the cables pointed out that the cables had to be replaced. This paper explains the complex assessment of the remaining fatigue strength and tensile strength of the deteriorated cables.
A theoretical resistance model was made for this purpose, in which account was made of the combined effect of corrosion and fatigue on accelerated degradation. A test on a spare cable was conducted to verify some of the model assumptions. The model was applied to determine 1) the number of permissible wire fractures before the cables would become critical, and 2) the inspection interval. The model developed might be of use for other cables subjected to corrosion and fatigue.
A theoretical resistance model was made for this purpose, in which account was made of the combined effect of corrosion and fatigue on accelerated degradation. A test on a spare cable was conducted to verify some of the model assumptions. The model was applied to determine 1) the number of permissible wire fractures before the cables would become critical, and 2) the inspection interval. The model developed might be of use for other cables subjected to corrosion and fatigue.
TNO Identifier
1017876
Publisher
TNO
Source title
IABSE Congress Ghent 2025 – The Essence of Structural Engineering for Society, Ghent, Belgium, 27-29 August 2025
Pages
2594-2602
Files
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