Norway | Taraldrud | Ski bridge

This durable composite ski bridge was installed in Taraldrud, Norway. The bridge connects the Police National Emergency Preparedness Center with the surrounding areas and, due to its width and unique features, can be used year-round without hindrance.

The bridge is part of the newly built emergency services center and, according to initial plans, was to be constructed in concrete. However, client Ministry of Justice and contractor Skanska opted for a sustainable and innovative solution; a lightweight, maintenance-free composite bridge with an unusual and practical design by Nordic Office of Architecture.

The bridge was supplied and installed by Module Solutions & Systems (MSS) and manufactured by FiberCore Europe, where the bridge was prefabricated in its own factory after calculation by its own engineers. FiberCore has already produced many hundreds of bicycle and heavy traffic bridges in the Netherlands and far beyond, but this is its first ski bridge.

Composite lends itself ideally to the intended function of the ski bridge. The material is impervious to external influences such as rot, rust, de-icing salts and extreme cold or heat. The prefabricated bridges are lightweight, making them easy to transport and install. This 22-ton bridge would have weighed about six times as much in a concrete version. With a length of 20 meters and a width of 4 meters, the bridge is designed to handle the load of half a meter of snow, plus the weight of a snow plow.

The bridge's eye-catching railing serves multiple functions. The special plating on the inside of the ski bridge keeps snow in place and prevents melt water from running onto the highway below. The special curved exterior plating, beyond its aesthetic value, also serves safety. The railing is modularly designed by FiberCore Europe and can be quickly and easily replaced in the event of damage.

Westdijk Transport transport ed the bridge by special transport by truck (and ferry) to Norway, where the bridge could be installed and commissioned immediately in no time with two light cranes.

The composite ski bridge is extremely robust and, with a lifespan of more than 100 years, also a durable solution.