ABSTRACT
The paper presents complex activities carried out on a 1-kilometre-long pipeline structure including inventory, material testing, technical condition evaluation and assessment considering its adaptation to function as a bridge. This unique structure located in Wrocław, Poland called the “Kilometer bridge” is actually a pipeline supporting system providing water supplies to the city. It is composed of 60 spans of over 16 m long each and the load carrying structure of it consists of two steel pipelines of 1220 mm diameter. Within the paper details of the structural analysis of the pipeline are provided including technical assumptions to the structure behaviour, types of considered loads (including self-weight, transported water action and expected live loads), the numerical model description and static analysis results showing internal forces in the main elements of the system. Some conclusions are drawn from this unusual study indicating specific technical and formal problems encountered here and general possibilities for adaptation of non-bridge structures to transportation infrastructure demands.
