Did you know that Napoleon gave orders to his troops to break through when crossing bridges?

The reason was to prevent the uniform rhythm of the soldiers from resonating with the structure, generating vibrations that could compromise its stability.

Today, centuries later, we continue to study how vibrations affect infrastructures, but with much more advanced technology. Through the HAMERTEC project, we have developed an innovative dynamic analysis system that reproduces the real conditions of a train passing over a viaduct, simulating the same vibrations that worried Napoleon, but now to optimize structural models and ensure railway safety.

Thanks to an electrohydraulic vibrator, we induce controlled accelerations and displacements in the bridges, measuring the effects in real time with sensors both on the viaduct and on board. This technology not only optimizes FEM models, but also provides crucial information on the condition of the structure, improving predictive maintenance.

This system has been tested on several viaducts thanks to the support of CDTI Innovation and with the participation of Inse Rail, Fundación Caminos de Hierro and ANCO Engineers, Inc., obtaining results that are key to the safety and efficiency of the railway system.