Precast elements in bridge construction

Opportunities and methods to accelerate the construction­ process

Maintaining federal highways in good condition is one of the primary objectives to ensure the mobility that Germany requires in the long term to retain its attractiveness for businesses. Bridges are critical components of this infrastructure. They have long surpassed their intended service lives and require a significant amount of maintenance and strengthening in order to withstand current and expected future traffic levels. The maintenance strategy includes not only urgently required measures to improve their condition but also activities to strengthen or replace them either in part or...

Related articles:

Issue 05/2024

Drone-assisted condition assessment of bridge structures

The condition of bridge structures is deteriorating rapidly on a global scale due to their increasing lifespan and traffic volume. This poses a hazard to people’s safety, and bridge closures can...

more
Issue 02/2021

Balanced-lift method for prestressed concrete bridges – 25 % lower cost compared to steel-concrete composite bridges

The first-time application of the balanced-lift method for the bridges over the Lahnbach and Lafnitz rivers in Austria proved that these prestressed concrete bridges with 2.0?m high bridge girders...

more
Issue 06/2023

Modular bridges for renewal of transport infrastructure

High performance capability of transport infrastructure at a time of ever-increasing passenger and freight transport is of critical significance for Germany as a business location. Numerous...

more
Issue 02/2015 Market potential in bridge infrastructure

Use of carbon-reinforced shotcrete to increase the shear resistance of prestressed-concrete girders

The German highway network includes over 39,000 bridges with a total length of almost 2,100 km. Most of these bridges were built from prestressed concrete in the period from 1965 to 1985 (Fig. 1)....

more
Issue 02/2020 Modular concrete construction

Development of an innovative modular bridge

In Germany, modular bridge construction methods have so far been applied only to a limited extent compared to other European countries or North America. However, public road authorities are...

more