Pioneering bridge construction technique takes out World Innovation in Bridge Engineering award
12 June 2018
Arup:
An innovative steel, concrete and
fiberglass
bridge construction technique created by a team comprising
The University of
Queensland,
RocketC,
Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Arup has
won the inaugural World Innovation in Bridge Engineering (WIBE) award.
The award-winning innovation a double skin tubular arch bridge has
the potential to reduce major bridgeworks projects from months or even
years to just three days saving time, money and inconvenience.
It is three times as strong as conventional
bridges, yet only a third the weight. Because it is light, the
bridge can be pre-fabricated and transported to site where it can be put
up in about 72 hours. This means projects that previously caused up to
six months of disruption can now be completed in just three days. Dr
Dilum Fernando, The University of Queensland
The new bridge design can be prefabricated, transported on a
semi-trailer and erected without the need for specialised heavy lifting
equipment overcame many challenges.
A case study for the award submission demonstrated that building a
railway bridge overpass in
Brisbane using this technology would take just 78 hours and save
$120 million over the traditional build cost.
Arup is delighted to assist in the development of this innovative
composite material designed to solve challenges in our communities. In
addition this research has provided excellent practical experience to
the many students who have helped fabricate, test and interpret the test
results in the fantastic laboratories at UQ.
The competition prizemoney of $50,000 will be used to continue research
into applications and improvements for the bridge technology.
The WIBE prize was sponsored by the Faculty of Engineering at the
University of Porto in Portugal, and BERD, a project, research and
engineering firm specialising in bridges.
--ENDS--
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