Bridge Abutments

Factbook

Bridges, designed to last over a lifetime, must also account for long-term challenges such as fatigue and the ability to bear heavier loads. This highlights the need for durable infrastructure that can withstand modern transportation demands, while minimizing traffic disruptions during repairs or replacements. 

Steel sheet pile bridge abutments offer significant benefits in this regard. They provide durable and flexible foundations, which can reduce construction time and costs while enhancing resilience against additional traffic loads, geohazards and effects of climate change. Their ease of installation and ability to accommodate adjustments also make them ideal for minimizing traffic disturbances during maintenance work.

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Europe’s vast network of highways and railways faces the urgent challenge of replacing, or upgrading, thousands of ageing bridges, which will inevitably impact traffic flow. A comparative study undertaken by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in 2018 underscored the advantages of bridges designed with sheet pile abutments. 

These benefits included: 

  • An 8 % reduction in construction costs. 
  • A residual 5 % advantage in life-cycle costs over a 100-year period. 
  • A potential reduction of up to 21 % in the economic impact of external effects during the structure’s service life. 
  • A confirmed reduction of at least 10 % in total construction time for bridges utilizing sheet pile abutments compared to those with temporary shoring. 
  • The environmental impact of the steel sheet pile abutments over the life cycle of the bridge is 36 % lower than reinforced concrete abutments, leading to 12 % lower emissions for the overall bridge structure. 

Incorporating steel solutions, such as steel sheet pile in bridge abutments, offers greater flexibility and durability against various natural and man-made risks.