FiberCore Europe participates in EU project Smart Circular Bridges
As part of an EU project, three bridges are being built from bio-composites. Natural plant fibers and biopolymers can now be used to create load-bearing structures. This opens up exciting perspectives on sustainability and material circularity for future bridge structures. A Structural Health Monitoring system ensures structural safety and provides new insights into the use of materials in load-bearing structures.
Three circular bridges
Combating climate change and the pursuit of circular economy are becoming increasingly important in the construction industry. Load-bearing structures in particular offer great potential, especially if they are based on renewable, non-fossil materials. As part of an EU project, three pedestrian and bicycle bridges in Germany and the Netherlands are currently being planned with bio-composites. In spring 2021, the first bridge will be realized in Almere (NL). This bridge is part of the Floriade 2022, which will take place the following year and will focus on the theme "Cities of the Future." Two other bridges will be installed in Ilsfeld (DE) and Bergen op Zoom (NL).
Bio-composites
The so-called "Smart Circular Bridges" are made of bio-composites. Like conventional composites, they consist of two materials: natural fibers such as flax and hemp provide the stiffness and strength, and the bio-resin binds the fibers together, resulting in a strong and lightweight material. Bio-composites offer great freedom of form and enable structurally optimized and resource-efficient, yet elegant designs.
Interreg Northwest Europe program
The innovative bridges are being created as part of the European Union's Bio-Economy Strategy and are supported by the Interreg Northwest Europe program. Led by Eindhoven University of Technology, the project is working with a total of 14 partners from science, industry and local authorities to complete the three bridges by 2023. The university is building on extensive experience with biobased materials. In an earlier research project in 2016 with other partners, it realized a bridge over the river Dommel in the Netherlands with a span of 14 meters.
Monitoring
A sophisticated monitoring system is used in the Smart Circular Bridges. By using fiber optic sensors (FBG-s), the structural and material condition as well as the structural safety level is continuously monitored. The Structural Health Monitoring system detects structural changes and possible material degradation such as fatigue. It can provide an early warning if preset limits are reached. Data collected in situ from the bridges in the project will be compared with extensive research and laboratory test data (using accelerated weathering and creep deformation tests). The monitoring system will collect information on mechanical response, dimensional changes, and environmental effects such as temperature and humidity. Combining the laboratory tests with constant in situ monitoring data will not only ensure the highest level of operational safety, but also collect extensive valuable information for planning and optimization of further bridges and other structures.
Circular
To achieve maximum material circularity, recovering the materials from the biocomposites is part of the research. The project uses renewable resources in an innovative way. Besides building bridges, it demonstrates the potential of a climate-friendly bioeconomy in the construction sector.
