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Pucca Pul: IIT Roorkee team to test Lucknow bridge’s strength soon
A team of IIT Roorkee experts will examine the structural strength of the 100-year-old Pucca Pul on December 22 and 23
A team of IIT Roorkee experts will examine the structural strength of the 100-year-old Pucca Pul on December 22 and 23. PWD experts are expected to complete their tests today.
An official of the PWD said that the load test and core test are almost complete. These tests are important to check the strength of the concrete bridges.
The movement of light vehicles also began on the bridge on Monday afternoon. However, the remaining work will continue till late Tuesday evening.
The official said, “The UPV (Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity) test was conducted on Monday to check the strength of the bridge.”
Only after the IIT Roorkee expert team’s examinations will the final report be prepared by the department.
Executive Engineer PWD Manish Varma said, “The test of the strength of the 109-year-old Pucca Pul on the Gomti began on Friday, in which four different techniques were adopted to test its load-bearing capacity and structural strength.”
The techniques adopted for the test were load test, core test, capo test and UPV technology test. An expert on the team, Kamlesh Upadhyay, said that for the load test, four trucks loaded with 30-30 quintal debris were parked and moved on the five arch spans of the bridge for 24 hours.
There was also an ultrasonic test performed when traffic started moving on the heritage bridge. In the UPV test, ultrasonic waves are passed through the side wall of the bridge. Through this, it was ascertained how much pressure is being exerted on the bridge.
In the core test, the construction material was tested by drilling holes on the surface of the bridge. The strength of the side wall of the bridge was checked through the capo test. Through this test it is ascertained that there is no gap inside the bridge.
DN Tiwari, representative of Shri Balaji Test House, a company based in Faridabad, which tested the strength of the bridge, said that the top of the bridge has been tested. The bottom check will also be completed by Tuesday.
Height gauge is placed to stop heavy traffic. Tiwari said that only light vehicles will ply on the bridge till the investigation report comes in.
