Directive "Integrale Bauwerke" - State of the art

Each joint, especially each dilatation joint, is a weak point and requires an increased effort of maintenance. This experience has led to a return to a bearing- and jointless construction method in Germany and abroad in recent years. Since then numerous integral bridges, mainly single span frame bridges with effective spans of up to about 50m, have been completed successfully in Germany. Also the amount of semi-integral bridges containing bearings and dilatation joints at the abutment walls of bridges with greater length has increased considerably. To establish standard design rules for such road bridges, a task force was set up in Germany by the ministry in charge (Bundesministerium fur Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung) in 2008 to develop a directive for integral structures (integrale Bauwerke) that supports the conceptional design of integral and semi-integral bridges. The first outline of this directive Integrale Bauwerke is accomplished.