Chain Bridge Standing the Test

Twenty-four trucks, each weighing 20 tons, tested the load-bearing capacity of the Chain Bridge in the Hungarian capital on Saturday; based on the primary data, the crossing passed the test well, and its renovation is still on schedule and within budget, Budapest Transport Center (BKK) has announced.

According to the statement, the static and dynamic test loads were used to measure the deformation of the Chain Bridge structure when 20-ton trucks are parked at specific points. They also monitored the effects on the crossing of heavy vehicles at 5, 20 and 30 kilometers per hour and at the maximum speeds that can be safely reached by these vehicles.

The measurements were carried out by experts from the Department of Bridges and Structures at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. During the test load, the deflection of the bridge was measured from the bridge and the Danube bank using a geodetic instrument with an accuracy of 0.5 millimeters. Strain gauges were placed on the chain links, the suspension rods, the remaining old bridge structure and the new steel deck to observe the deformations of the structure and the stresses generated in the individual elements. The displacement of the crown pile was also monitored in the crown pile room at the top of the Buda pier, BKK said.

According to the statement, the full evaluation of the results is still underway, but the primary data show that the Chain Bridge tested well, with the values measured during the load matching those calculated by the experts.

BKK recalled that the renovation of the Chain Bridge could not be postponed any longer, so the reconstruction of the Danube crossing by A-Híd Zrt. started in spring 2021. The modernization of one of Hungary's most important cultural heritage sites and symbols is scheduled to be completed in 2023.

On Wednesday, November 9, the asphalting of the crossing was completed, and the next day. the stone lions decorating the Pest side of the Chain Bridge were returned to their original places.