UTRECHT, March 9, 2020 - More and more bridges and viaducts no longer meet today's needs and requirements. More and heavier traffic requires stronger structures. Outdated structures require costly maintenance, have to be demolished or rebuilt. This is not a sustainable solution, according to Strukton Civiel and FiberCore Europe. In collaboration with a number of European parties, FiberCore Europe developed SUREbridge; a circular solution in which a composite deck, as it were, is placed on top of an existing concrete bridge. Edwin Oostinga, Director of Strukton Civiel North & East and Jan Kroon, Managing Director of FiberCore Europe today signed a cooperation agreement to offer this sustainable solution to the market.
SUREbridge not only makes the bridge stronger, it also allows the bridge to be widened (profile). The Noordoospolder municipality showed interest in the method given their future maintenance task. Strukton Civiel and FiberCore Europe conducted several trials and tests in this municipality. All the information gathered shows that SUREbridge is a perfect alternative for renovating existing outdated concrete bridges. Contacts are currently being made with several clients to conduct a number of pilots, so that SUREbridge can eventually be offered as a standard solution.
SUREbridge: the benefits
The benefits of SUREbridge extend far and wide. Shorter construction times mean less disruption for road users and local residents. The bridge will also have a longer lifespan, virtually eliminating the need for maintenance. By upgrading and widening the bridge, existing bottlenecks can be eliminated. This will bring the bridge back up to current standards for heavier traffic. The burden on the environment is less by avoiding demolition and extending the life span. Thus, a reduction in CO2 emissions is achieved. And finally, construction costs are lower, which in turn benefits budgets.
Cooperation between Strukton and FiberCore
Not only is the solution strong, but the cooperation between Strukton Civiel and FiberCore Europe also offers added value. The parties have found each other from previous collaborations on various projects and a shared vision of the maintenance market. They have developed future-proof solutions that have potential for further development. Together, the companies are working toward a broad network with a product that is fully focused on the future and the growing maintenance market.
Developed in a European context
SUREbridge stands for Sustainable Refurbishment of Existing Bridges. The method was developed in a partnership of 10 European countries, the United States and the European Commission. To develop SUREbridge, FiberCore Europe collaborated with Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), University of Pisa (Italy) and AICE Consulting S.R.L. (Italy).
