Dutch partnership constructs 3D printed composite pedestrian bridges
Engineering consulting firm Royal HaskoningDHV and partners achieved a bridge design made of 30% fiberglass and 70% waste.
Architectural firm Atelier Dutch (Putten, Gelderland) in partnership with engineering consulting firm Royal HaskoningDHV (Amersfoort, Netherlands) and the municipality of Gemeente Putten, have developed a 3D printed fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) bridge.
The project was initiated to provide two pedestrian bridges connecting an existing wooded bank in a new housing estate, Rimpeler, which has approximately 350 homes. Royal HaskoningDHV, which has been researching 3D printed bridges for a number of years, saw this as an opportunity to construct one using these fabrication methods.
The final product consists of 70% industrial waste (PET-G) and 30% glass fiber and was printed using CEAD’s (Delft, Netherlands) 3D printing technologies by toolmaker Nedcam (Heerenveen, Netherlands). Atelier Dutch designed the bridge’s intricate, 3D printed handrail. Notably, the final product is recyclable — at the bridges’ end of life, their material can be shredded down and printed again, and Nedcam often recycles this material for boat molds, among other applications. Moreover, due to its low weight, it is easy to move.
Timmer-GWW (Nijkerk) installed the bridge, and it was opened in April 2024 by alderman Bertus Cornelissen. Next steps including scaling up 3D printed bridge construction, especially with the larger printers that are now available.
For more information visit LinkedIn.
Related Content
-
One-shot manufacture of 3D knitted hybrid thermoplastic composite structures
MAPICC 3D project replaces steel seat support in heavy-duty vehicle with a 3D knitted composite made from thermoplastic hybrid yarns comprising the matrix and reinforcing components.
-
CirculinQ: Glass fiber, recycled plastic turn paving into climate solutions
Durable, modular paving system from recycled composite filters, collects, infiltrates stormwater to reduce flooding and recharge local aquifers.
-
Materials & Processes: Fibers for composites
The structural properties of composite materials are derived primarily from the fiber reinforcement. Fiber types, their manufacture, their uses and the end-market applications in which they find most use are described.