Weser Bridge load test: Marc Gutermann provides insights into the measurement tasks carried out by IFES

Mr Gutermann, the load test attracted a great deal of (media) attention. However, neither you nor your team were to be seen. You spent the whole day working out of sight beneath the bridge. What was your role?

For this project, we were responsible for the measurement equipment, data collection and analysis. With 120 measurement points on the bridge, this represented an unusually large amount of work for us. In preparation for this day, the grbv office in Hanover had already carried out extensive calculations using computer models. As a result, they were already very familiar with the structure. Our colleagues gave us precise instructions on which measurement parameters were important at which points for assessing the load-bearing structure. We then consulted with them and took care of selecting suitable sensors, their installation, cabling and the entire measurement chain, so that everything would run smoothly on the day of the tests.

We are now busy reducing nearly two gigabytes (GB) of data columns. It is to our advantage that we have frequently provided this comprehensive service before, for example, for the assessment of masonry arch bridges for the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). We are therefore optimistic that we will be able to provide the firm with the essential data as quickly as possible for the subsequent computational analysis.

Are there any other projects in which you and IFES are providing support in Bremen and the surrounding region with your expertise?

Yes, quite a few. We see ourselves as partners to all stakeholders who face challenges in assessing existing structures. Over the past five years, we have assessed eight structures in Bremen through load tests – a total of around 70 in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. However, these have mainly been in the field of building construction.

Although here at Bremen University of Applied Sciences we were involved in the development of the BELFA load-testing vehicle for load tests on road bridges and operated it for over ten years, we are now primarily engaged in testing solid-construction floor and roof structures. In Bremen, these have most recently included schools, industrial halls and sports halls, as well as residential buildings, but also the cross-vault of the barrel cellar beneath the Domshof.

An exciting job. How can one qualify for such a career at HSB?

There are several ways to approach the experimentally supported assessment of structures, as there is no specialised training programme for it. Most people working in this field have studied civil engineering with a specialisation in structural engineering – after all, it involves the assessment of load-bearing structures. As measurement-based structural monitoring of buildings is becoming increasingly diverse, experts from the fields of measurement technology and data management are naturally also required. This would then be approached via relevant specialisations within degree programmes in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or computer science.

At Hochschule Bremen, my preferred route would be to first complete a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, followed by a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering – Sustainable Planning and Construction. Of course, any student can get a taste of the work here at our institute alongside their studies. After all, the right personal attitude is crucial for this job; strenuous manual labour is also part of the daily routine. At other universities, a PhD would be a good option to acquire skills in the fields of experimental and measurement technology as well as data processing. Or you could join a company straight away. In my own experience, you need at least two years’ practical experience to begin to grasp everything that needs to be taken into account when planning and carrying out experiments. So it’s a long road to becoming an ‘experimenter’, but it’s well worth it!