Steel bridges
Structural model of a steel bridge showing the structural systems and load paths.
Structural design
STRUCTURAL DESIGN FOR STEEL AND COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION
Plan structures precisely. Realise them safely.
Specialised structural design, erection engineering and assessment of existing structures for demanding steel and composite structures.
STRUCTURAL DESIGN FOR STEEL AND COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION
Plan structures precisely. Realise them safely.
Specialised structural design, erection engineering and assessment of existing structures for demanding steel and composite structures.
BridgesEngineering structuresErection stagesExisting structuresBIM
Services
Engineering for every phase of the structure
Five service areas — from conceptual design to erection engineering and digital BIM planning.
Design principles
Technically sound. Economically sensible. Planned for erection.
Three principles guide our work — without compromise on load-bearing capacity, economy or constructability.
01
Technically sound
Structures are designed and verified to current standards — verifiable and traceable.
02
Economically sensible
Considered design reduces material use and erection effort without compromising load-bearing capacity.
03
Planned for erection
Erection stages and auxiliary structures are considered early and verified structurally.
Insights
Insights into our work
Selected photographs and engineering visualisations from our work. These are not complete project reports.
Erection stages
Erection stage of a steel bridge with temporary auxiliary structures.
Erection engineering
Structural assessment
Existing steel bridge as part of a re-analysis and structural assessment.
Assessment of existing structures
Engineering structures
Steel mast as an engineering structure — design and verification.
Structural designErection engineering
Erection stages are structures in their own right
Conditions during erection can differ structurally from the final state of the structure. We model each relevant stage and verify structural safety.
- Structural modelling of construction stages including developing or movable structures
- Verification of load-bearing capacity for all relevant erection phases
- Design and verification of auxiliary erection structures and movable structural components
- Verification of special erection methods, e.g. incremental launching
- Assessment and strengthening of existing components where required
- Complete verifiable documentation in accordance with current standards
Existing structures & dismantling
Assess the existing. Plan the dismantling.
Existing structures and old steel constructions require their own engineering assessment — for service life extension as well as for safe dismantling.
A. Assessment and evaluation
Assessment of the load-bearing capacity and stability of existing steel structures based on current load models and possible prior damage.
- Corrosion damage
- Fatigue cracks
- Buckled cross-section parts
- Calculated residual service life
- Repair concepts
- Strengthening
B. Dismantling engineering
Planning the dismantling of old steel structures, comparable to erection engineering — taking into account the properties and limitations of the existing structure.
- Dismantling phases
- Temporary auxiliary structures
- Material damage
- Imperfections
- Verifiable documentation
- Safe execution
BIM & 3D planning
A continuous digital planning process
3D models make complex structures comprehensible and connect visualisation, planning and fabrication in one process.
- Communication between all parties involved
- Construction drawings as the basis for execution
- Structural verifications from the model
- Visualisation of complex geometries
- Bills of quantities from the 3D model
- Optional NC data for cutting and fabrication
Innovation & funding
New design concept for steel structures using AI
Tragstahl is working on a funded project to develop a new structural design concept for steel structures using artificial intelligence and modern digital planning processes. This is an ongoing development project.
More about the funding projectFunding notice
Funded by the European Union and the State of Brandenburg.
Contact person
Your contact person
Direct contact for technical pre-consultation and project enquiries.
Founder and Managing Director
Dr.-Ing. Karl Drebenstedt
- Structural engineer
- Welding engineer
- Steel constructor
As a structural engineer, welding engineer and steel constructor, Dr.-Ing. Karl Drebenstedt is responsible for the technical design and structural verification at Tragstahl GmbH.
Publications & presentations
Selected publications
Contributions on fatigue, detail categories and design in steel bridge engineering.
Presentation2024
Neuerungen im Eurocode 3, Teil 1-9 „Ermüdung" – Auswirkungen auf die Bemessung wichtiger Kerbdetails von Stahlbrücken
VSVI Seminar: Neuerungen im Brückenbau
Presentation2024
Zur Bemessung relevanter Kerbdetails in stählernen Fachwerkbrücken – Beispiele aus der Praxis
20. Fachtagung Konstruktiver Ingenieurbau VDEI
Dissertation2023
Bewertung der Ermüdungsfestigkeit von geschweißten und gelöteten Lamellen, Steifen und Anbauteilen
Dissertation, OPUS
External linkProject enquiry
Let's talk about your structure.
Describe your project briefly. We will get in touch for an initial technical pre-consultation — without a commitment to a specific response time.