Benefits of steel solutions in bridge design

The right choice of bridge design

For two-span road bridges with an average span and traditional abutments, the construction of the abutment accounts for approximately 40 % of total manufacturing costs of the bridge if no temporary pit walls are required. This figure rises up to roughly 55 % when temporary retaining walls are required for the construction. In these situations, abutments with sheet piles are a smart alternative to traditional construction, as the sheet pile can take over both functions, serve as retaining walls and as permanent, load-bearing structural elements.

Further the use of steel sheet pile abutments instead of abutments with temporary buildings pit walls can reduce total construction time by a minimum of 10 %.

The hidden costs of traffic congestion

Choosing a bridge designed with steel sheet pile abutments and a composite deck built with steel sections leads to global cost benefits such as:

• 7 % reduction on the construction costs;
• 3,5 % reduction on the life cycle costs over 100 years life time (based on a real discount rate of 2 %);
• Up to 15 % reduction in the economic impact of the external effects during the service life of the structure.

Bridge-building technologies of the future: fast, efficient and economical in the long term

Composite steel bridges with steel sheet pile abutments are robust structures that require limited maintenance and repairs.

Steel sections offer the advantage of an easy dismantling, recovery and recycling after the bridge service life, ensuring that no residues remain in the soil and adding a valuable contribution to the circular economy. This helps to prevent the abuse of natural resources.

Our steel builds bridges

Hot-rolled sections and sheet piles produced by ArcelorMittal:
Our contribution to pioneering projects.

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