© PAMB

Modular bridge construction saves concrete and CO₂

What about a bridge that lasts longer, comes in ready-made parts shipped to the building site and can be set up within a single day? No problem for an innovative lightweighting solution that is already being used.

Caution! Bridge under construction: Until 2030, some 7,400 bridges on Germany’s highways (Autobahnen) are to be repaired or replaced. To keep traffic congestion at a minimum, the PAMB research project has developed a modular bridge building technology based on carbon concrete. Lightweight technologies allow for both economic potential and the conservation of resources. They also work in favour of national climate targets. More about how it works can be found here (in German only). An image video can be watched here (in German only).

Back to the project: The bridge parts are manufactured in a factory and shipped to the building site, where tendons are used to put them together. The modular construction method based on non-metallic reinforcement allows for assembly within a single day. The bridge can be used immediately.

^{Short assembly time, long lifespan}

The prefabricated bridge parts made from corrosion-resistant carbon are more precise, leaner and more durable than bridges built from reinforced concrete. Any defective modules can be replaced and recycled, allowing for greater sustainability over the bridge’s lifecycle.

A prototype was tested in a real-life environment on a federal highway near Freiberg in 2023. Following a period of using trial load, the bridge was then operational for a year. It is now being disassembled so that it can be tried out at a different site. The underlying approach could serve as a blueprint for other fields of the construction industry.

^{Study shows importance of lightweight construction for Germany}

A study conducted by Econmove GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action shows the importance of lightweighting for Germany: less materials used, lower carbon emissions and greater sustainability – and improved functionality. The technology safeguards 1.3 million jobs in Germany and accounts for some 4% of the country’s GDP. You can read the entire study here (in German only).