Restoration of a Metal Railway Bridge with Hot Rivets - Rivet Heading process - Video

Restoration of a metal bridge using hot-driven rivets. During the restoration of a metal bridge, an authentic hot-riveting technology is applied. Damaged or worn rivets are replaced with new ones heated to forging temperature. The heated rivets are inserted into holes in the structure, and their heads are formed using special pneumatic and hydraulic tools. As the rivets cool, they contract and create an extremely strong and durable connection, ensuring the stability, reliability, and longevity of the structure.

This method makes it possible to preserve the original bridge structure and restore historical engineering solutions. Bridges are constantly subjected to changing loads and vibrations, so the reliability of joints is especially important. Properly installed hot rivets are highly resistant to fatigue, and many such joints successfully last for more than a century. Due to these properties, hot riveting remains one of the most reliable methods for restoring historic steel structures.