Ufa rail bridge carries double tracked rail lines over the River Belaya. It is located at Ufa, the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia.
History
The origins of the bridge are closely associated with that of the Trans-Siberian Railway, for which the structure was built for. Construction of the bridge occurred between 1886 and 1888, having been built at the same time as several other railway bridges on the line, including three-span bridge across the River Ufa, east of Ufa. The construction of both bridges was overseen by civil engineer Professor Nikolai Belelubsky, who followed the specifications outlined in the 1884 edition for steel railway bridges. Due to this adherence to the same design standards, these two bridges shared similar features. Thanks to the successful completion of these bridges, the Trans-Siberian line was able to be extended even further eastward, reaching the towns of Zlatoust in (1890) and Chelyabinsk in (1892).
For the design of the bridges, Professor Nikolai Belelubsky was called in. Belelubsky's contributions to the field of building materials research were marked by two significant discoveries that had a profound and lasting impact. Firstly, he found that domestically produced cement was just as good as English cement, allowing for a significant cost reduction in bridge construction. Secondly, Belelubsky made groundbreaking progress in understanding the mechanical properties of carbon steel. In 1882, he was the first in Russia to propose the idea of using steel in the construction of railroad bridges. This is because steel for metal bridges had not been yet systematically used in Austria, while in Germany it had been used with caution, in accordance with the technical requirements of the time. Having evaluated the physical and chemical properties of carbon steel, Belelubsky came to the conclusion that, contrary to the opinion of the time, it was a far more reliable material for bridges compared to wrought iron, which was the prevailing choice at the time. His breakthrough allowed him to successfully replace wrought iron with steel in constructing bridges along the four major sections of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The steel specifications developed by Belelubsky served as the foundation for similar specifications that were later adopted internationally.
The bridge superstructure provided originally for six 109-meter (358 ft.) bowstring arch through truss spans over the river channel, with steel box girders. The design required meticulous alignment of the top and floor elements, known as cords, as well as the inter-cord elements, which are the web elements. These elements were all manufactured using open-hearth steel and were produced at the Votkinsk ironworks, which is now known as the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant located in Udmurtia. This ironworks had been utilizing open hearth furnaces since 1871, which allowed to produce railway rails for the country's railway network.
Additionally, Belyubsky introduced his own inventive concept known as the "freeway" or "Russian support style", which went on to gain widespread recognition. This groundbreaking technology involved strategically placing pin elements at specific angles, resulting in shorter panels, optimized structural framing, and reduced secondary stresses in the truss components. Furthermore, this design incorporated vertical load-bearing elements, streamlining the construction of supports, support frames, and structural connections within the trusses. The impact of this innovative connection method was so significant that it received a prestigious gold medal at the renowned Edinburgh Exhibition of 1890, solidifying its reputation as a revolutionary breakthrough in the realm of technology.
The truss superstructure was set on masonry piers, which were further strengthened by triangular buttresses (known as cutwaters) positioned upstream. These buttresses served the purpose of breaking up the ice that flows downstream during the spring season. Additionally, it is worth noting that the clear head room above mean high water measured approximately 17 meters (equivalent to 56 feet).
On 8 September 1888, the bridge was solemnly opened to traffic by admiral Konstantin Posyet, Minister of Railway Transport. In addition to accommodating train traffic, a pedestrian path was also established on the bridge. In order to facilitate safe passage for pedestrians, wooden sidewalks were made. Subsequently, the movement of pedestrians was prohibited on the bridge.