Strukton Civiel and FiberCore Europe cooperate to retrofit concrete bridges with composite FRP decks

 

 

More and more bridges and viaducts no longer meet the requirements of our time. Stronger structures are required due to more and heavier traffic. These outdated structures require costly maintenance and must be demolished or rebuilt. But that is not a sustainable solution, say large infrastructure construction specialist Strukton Civiel (Utrecht, Netherlands) and composite infrastructure innovator FiberCore Europe (Rotterdam, Netherlands). The two companies have now signed a cooperation agreement to offer the sustainable SUREbridge solution to the infrastructure market.

SUREbridge stands for Sustainable Refurbishment of Existing Bridges. The method has been developed in collaboration with 10 European countries, the United States and the European Commission. FiberCore Europe worked with Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), University of Pisa (Italy) and AICE Consulting S.R.L. to develop and test the SUREbridge technology.

With SUREbridge, the bridge not only becomes stronger, it can also be widened. The municipality of Noordoospolder showed an interest in this method for its future maintenance tasks. Results gathered by Strukton Civiel and FiberCore Europe during several tests in this municipality shows that SUREbridge is a perfect alternative for renovating existing outdated concrete bridges. Discussions have begun with several clients for the implementation of multiple pilot projects, so that SUREbridge can ultimately be offered as a standardized solution.

 

SUREbridge: the benefits

The benefits of SUREbridge are numerous. Due to a shorter construction time, there is less inconvenience for road users and local residents. The bridge also has a longer lifespan with virtually no maintenance required. Existing traffic bottlenecks can be remedied by upgrading and widening the bridge. The bridge thus meets the current standards for heavier traffic. By preventing demolition and extending the lifespan, SUREbridge offers a sustainable solution and a reduction in CO2 emissions. And finally, construction costs are lower, which is good for strained budgets.

 

Strukton and FiberCore collaboration

The collaboration between Strukton Civiel and FiberCore Europe offers value beyond SUREbridge. Through previous collaborations and a joint vision, these leaders are working together towards a broad network with developed solutions that have significant potential for the future and growing infrastructure maintenance market.