Modular Textile-Concrete Bridge

Knippers Helbig has developed for solidian GmbH the first concrete bridge in the world solely reinforced with carbon fibre and performed the structural analysis. The construction completed in October 2015 in Albstadt-Ebingen does entirely without steel reinforcement or prestressing. Based on a concrete cover of 15 mm and breaking stress at failure of the carbon-fibre reinforcement of over 3,000 N/mm², it was possible to achieve extremely slender components. The trough cross-section with material thicknesses of 70 mm (trough walls) and 90 mm (paving slabs) was made as a monolithic precast component. With a span of 15 m and a width of 3 m, the bridge weighs just 14 tonnes. Besides material and weight savings, above-average service life and exceptionally low maintenance costs can be expected, since the corrosion problem is avoided by not using any steel components. Since the use of carbon-fibre reinforced concrete has not yet received approval certification in Germany, it was necessary to obtain an “approval in an individual case” (Zustimmung im Einzelfall – ZiE) with Knippers Helbig overseeing the approval process. (Carbon reinforced cover plate: Solidian)