An in-situ experimental test on a reinforced concrete beam: test design and main results

A traditional issue in the structural safety is the estimation of the actual condition as well as residual lifetime of existing structures and infrastructures. To this extent, an in-situ experimental test has been carried out on a reinforced concrete beam built more than 60 years ago and with a span equal to 25.90m. The abovementioned beam was purposely removed during the demolition operations of the Mollere viaduct, along the Torino-Savona highway, in Italy. The in-situ experimental test has been conducted supporting the beam through two isolated foundations. Successively, through a force control approach, the beam has been directly loaded by means of masses with a weight of 100 kN, specifically calibrated to achieve the collapse or near-collapse state at the end of the test. This paper summarizes the overall design steps behind the experimental test, and comes out with the capacity curve of the beam under the imposed loads.