We have reached readiness for production of a bridge span with FRP composite reinforcement
Our product combines the properties of proven materials such as concrete with the unique properties of FRP composite.
The use of concrete provides us with a low production cost and the FRP composite reinforcement solves the problem of corrosion devastating the structure of standard bridges. Our solution is not only a detailed design, but also a practical full-scale product that eliminates serious risks associated with corrosion damage to bridge structures. Our span is characterised primarily by increased durability compared to traditional concrete elements, reduced dead weight due to the use of FRP strain relief channels and high quality and speed of manufacture due to the prefabrication method used.
With this in mind, we are convinced that further application of concrete structures reinforced with FRP composite in various forms in bridge construction is a future-oriented direction of development with huge technological and economic potential.
The extensive research on composite materials conducted by the Research and Development Department for the past 15 years has given us a great deal of knowledge about the possibilities of using their potential in bridge construction. Over the years, we have gained experience from successively building composite structures of different nature. Year after year, we improved both the structure of the span itself and the prefabrication technology. We independently developed the concept of the span construction, the whole technical design together with research and calculations on the final shape of the FRP span section, then we collected full technical documentation together with instructions for production machines. Then, together with the Road and Bridge Research Institute, we positively verified our assumptions in practice by testing full-size structural elements. As a result of our efforts, the span construction concept we created has been protected by a patent application since 2019.
At the same time we also became partners in the EU project LightCoce, where we began research on modifying the current version of the span using lightweight concrete with the addition of carbon nanotubes. Work on the development of such a solution with our participation is still in progress.