Failure Resistance of Historic Stone Bridge Structure of Charles Bridge. II: Susceptibility to Floods

Abstract

The paper is a follow-up to the first part devoted to an analogical problem investigated with a view to the degradation of the stone structure due to the effects of nonstress load, and it deals with the probability problem of the bridge structure collapse under the effect of an extreme flood wave. The paper presents the results of the numerical analysis of the response of the historic stone bridge structure of Charles Bridge of the 14th century to the flood wave effect simulated by angular rotation, subsidence, and shifting in the footing bottom of a bridge pier. Special focus is on the effect of interventions into the stone bridge structure dating back to the last major overhaul of 1967–1975, particularly, on the effect of the reinforced concrete slab (tie plate) connecting the opposite bridge breast walls increasing the rigidity of the breast walls and their structurally efficient connection to the vaults of the bridge arches. The numerical analyses performed point out the prevailing negative effects of the implemented interventions in terms of structural rigidity of the stone bridge structure exposed to the effect of a flood wave.