The engineering properties of Victorian structural wrought iron

This paper presents results, which are of general interest and relevance to the structural engineering community, from a comprehensive investigation of the mechanical properties of the wrought iron from a bridge in mid-Wales, together with data from tests over the last 125 years on wrought iron from various locations. The paper discusses the variability of wrought iron in terms of material from a single source and from different sources throughout the UK. It is shown that wrought iron is a very variable material and that assessment of wrought-iron structures needs to take account of that variability and the condition of the wrought iron. The results reported were obtained as part of a research project into the strengthening of wrought-iron structures using carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer composites.