PSI - Issue 84

Michela Briganti Botta et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 344–351

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• Origin and Historical Background The structure lies along the Aurisina (Monfalcone)–Trieste section of the Southern Railway (also known as the “Carso Railway”), which connected Vienna with the Port of Trieste and was completed in 1857. This viaduct was built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire following the standard construction principles of railway bridges of the period—principles repeated consistently along the entire Southern Railway. The following images show a long freight train crossing the viaduct before World War II and an even earlier historical view. Although the surrounding context has greatly changed over time, the viaduct's curved arches still dominate the view of Trieste from the karst slopes descending toward the Adriatic Sea, giving travellers a scenic vista stretching as far as the iconic Miramare Castle. The structure did not suffer major damage during wartime operations and is still fully functional today. Its only limitation is the insufficient width for trackside inspection and maintenance activities without significantly affecting railway operations. The new pedestrian walkways are intended to mitigate these inconveniences while preserving the historical value of the structure.

2.2. Aurisina • Overview and Characteristics

Aurisina viaduct is on the Venice–Trieste railway line and it is located at the entrance to the Gulf of Trieste The viaduct, with masonry arches, is approximately 560 m long (from abutment to abutment) and consists of 42 spans: two spans of about 23 m (see photo) and forty spans of about 10 m. They are organized in eight groups of five, separated by pier-abutments, for a total of eight. The structure, dating back to 1857 (the Trieste–Vienna railway was inaugurated that same year), is consistent with the typical construction styles of the era used along railways built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is built using squared limestone blocks, with architectural projections at the arch’s springers and at the base of the masonry parapets.

Fig. 3. Aurisina –Mountain-side view