JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #90 - June/July 2014 - 16

bridge

Composites in civil engineering:
bridge enclosures and edge profiles
Bridge enclosures and edge profiles are traditionally made in
concrete or metal. Composites offer a promising alternative.

Maarten Labordus
Senior project manager
Delft Infra Composites

everal composite profiles have been
designed and produced for different bridges in the Netherlands. The
profiles are dimensioned for wind, rain
and snow loads, and in some cases also for
pedestrian loads and aerodynamic action
from passing trains. Designs are validated
with FEM calculations and mechanical
tests. During the design phase, production
aspects are taken into account at a very early
stage. Attachments and transportation and
installation requirements also need to be
considered.

WAVE
The A12 highway was widened near the
towns of Waterberg and Velperbroek
(WAVE), in the Netherlands. This required
the widening of several bridges. This was an
opportunity to also improve the cosmetics
of the old bridges (Figure 1).
Composite edge profiles were prescribed in
the public tender, which was won by Heijmans. The design, production and instal-

Fig. 1: Situation of an old bridge near Waterberg

Fig. 2: Deformation plot under wind & weight loads

lation of the composite edge profiles were
subcontracted to Infra Composites BV. The
panels were designed to withstand external
wind loads, but also the aerodynamic buffeting loads from trains passing underneath the
bridges. FE calculations were used to ensure
the panels met all requirements (Figure 2).
The elements were produced by vacuum
infusion in negative moulds. After infusion
and curing, the elements were demoulded,
trimmed to the correct dimensions, and
holes were drilled for installation (Figure 3).

of the elements also functions as part of the
pedestrian path for maintenance purposes.
FE calculations, following a similar approach
as described before, resulted in the following
designs for the fly-over inner and outer edge
profiles. The laminates were the same, only
the type and thickness of the cores varied.
Where pedestrian loads were foreseen, a
25-mm balsawood core was applied. For the
large shell sections, a 80-kg/m3 PET foam
was applied with thicknesses varying from
15 to 25 mm. Special testing was performed
to validate the performance of the attachment points under fatigue loading, both
in-plane and out-of-plane, to ensure the
panels would hold under the aerodynamic
loading from passing trains. The panels were
installed in 2012, and the fly-over opened to
traffic on 1 March 2012 (Figure 4). n

Fig. 3: Edge elements installed on the bridge

Waarderpolder fly-over
A new fly-over over the Waarderpolder,
near the city of Haarlem, was recently
designed by Royal Haskoning Architects.
The tender was won by Ballast Nedam, who
subcontracted the design, production and
installation of the enclosure elements at the
side of the fly-over to Infra Composites BV.
The edge elements are much larger than in
the previous example. Loads are therefore
also higher. Furthermore, the top section

16 jec composites magazine / No90 June - July 2014

Fig. 4: Bridge enclosure elements

In brief

Composite edge profiles for bridges offer many
benefits, especially when their design is considered early during the bridge design process.
Their low weight offers great benefits for
the supporting system and the actual bridge
structure.
More information:
www.infracomposites.com

http://www.infracomposites.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #90 - June/July 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #90 - June/July 2014