Analysis of temperature instrumentation on the Arroyo las Piedras" composite high speed rail viaduct"

Abstract

Temperatures' and movements' instrumentation of Arroyo las Piedras" Viaduct, the first Spanish composite steel-concrete High Speed Railway Bridge, has allowed the continuous following of the thermal effect during approximately two years (2008-2009), with very precise measurements with intervals of 10 minutes, what gives a very reliable information for the diary and seasonal temperatures' evolution of the viaduct's deck. These measures have been correlated with the continuous registers of the air shade temperature. This paper describes in detail the thermal behavior of the composite viaduct's deck, analysis that has permitted to obtain important conclusions that will help to improve future codes in thermal actions for composite bridges."