22 Sep Siemensbahn Berlin
Siemensbahn Berlin
Siemens Railway – A railway line is “kissed awake.”
The so-called Siemens Railway, a disused S-Bahn line in western Berlin, connects the center of the capital with the Siemens site behind it. It was built between 1927 and 1929 to transport the working population to the Siemens factories. It was closed in the 1980s. The line is now being reactivated as part of the I2030 initiative of the states of Berlin and Brandenburg. [1]
After crossing the Spree, a large part of the line runs out of town as an elevated railway on an impressive steel truss structure. The structure is a listed building and is worthy of preservation as a testament to the engineering excellence of its time.
On behalf of the Berlin Senate, Deutsche Bahn AG is currently carrying out plans to renovate the bridge. The quality of the (scrap) steel is an important input for planning its reopening. For this purpose, core samples or other small samples are usually taken at certain locations. Due to the total length of the structure and the large number of individual components, this approach is considered extremely complex in this case. Difficulties are to be expected with this sampling method regarding the statistical transferability of the results to the entire route.
Siemensbahn Berlin
Mobile Spark Emission Spectroscopy (OES)
With the help of a new method developed by IWT-Solutions AG in collaboration with the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen in Giessen for such an application, these difficulties can be overcome. In a short time and with manageable effort, a large number of riveted individual components can be non-destructively measured for steel quality. By selecting representative sections through various component axes along the entire length, a representative image of the steel qualities can be determined.
Removal of the corrosion layer
Fine-tuning of the measuring point
Measurement using mobile spark emission spectroscopy (OES)
Mobile spark emission spectroscopy (OES) is used. IWT-Solutions AG has adapted this method for this measurement task together with Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science GmbH. The chemical composition of the steel is measured. First, the corrosion layer is gently removed using a special process, and the surface is prepared to prevent contamination of the measurement by elements from the corrosion protection or pitting corrosion. IWT evaluates the measurement results, taking into account the existing know-how regarding the specific characteristics of industrial steel production at the time of manufacture. This allows for classification according to the steel grades that have been standardized since 1927, such as St 48 or St 34.
Using this method, 470 measurements were taken in a very short time with relatively little overall effort. The results provide the client, Deutsche Bahn AG, with important information for further planning at an early stage.
In summary, the new method represents a powerful and flexible procedure that can be used advantageously in the field of old steel rehabilitation and provides valuable data even in the early planning phase. It is expected that the method can be applied to steel structures of all ages and uses, such as road bridges, industrial buildings, and hydraulic structures.
[1] In the i2030 project, the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, Deutsche Bahn, and the VBB (German Railways) are planning an improved rail infrastructure for the capital region.
