Railway transition zones: evaluation of existing transition structures and a newly proposed transition structure

This comprehensive study addresses the persistent issue of railway transition zone degradation, evaluating the efficacy of the most commonly used mitigation measures and proposing a novel Safe Hull-Inspired Energy Limiting Design (SHIELD) of a transition structure. Firstly, this work assesses the traditional transition structures, including...

Calibration of partial factors in the safety assessment of existing concrete slab bridges for shear failure

The assessment of the structural safety of existing bridges and viaducts becomes increasingly important in many countries due to the age of the structures and an increase in traffic loads. Many structures need to be reassessed in order to find out whether the safety requirements are met. Most existing standards, however, are developed for the...