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Summary

A Dutch expert in composites and infrastructure developed a technology for heavy-load-bearing composite structures. The application of the technology has many possiblities: composite bridges, composite traffic bridges (60 tons traffic) and composite lock gates. Compared to concrete and steel, the technology is lightweight, sustainable and maintenance-free. The company is looking for technical cooperation (testing, adaptation to specific needs), distribution under license or commercial agreements

Full description

A Dutch expert in composites and infrastructure has developed a technology for heavy-load-bearing composite structures. The application possiblities of the technology are many: composite bridges, composite traffic bridges (60 tons traffic) and composite lock gates. At the moment, quite a large number of composite (traffic) bridges have been built in The Netherlands.

The technology has proven to be a important material for construction purposes. Compared to concrete and steel, it is lightweight, sustainable and maintenance-free. The technology therefore perfectly fits in strategies of sustainable procurement. Moreover, it is price-competitive with concrete and steel at the moment.

Innovative Aspects

Advantages

Sustainability
This company's composite structures are produced in closed processes. That means no emmissions. None of the materials or production methods cause for pollution. Next to that, the products do not need maintenance.
Also, foundations for the products can be light-weight, using up only the smallest amounts of material and saving up to 30 times the amount of energy used by concrete. Therefore, projects using this technology have very small carbon foot prints.

Zero-maintenance
The products are maintainence-free. None of the used materials in this technology can be deminished by moisture, fungi, heat or other forms of decay. That is why this company's structures have a 50-year guarantee.
Because composites are somewhat vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation, the structures are coated with a wearing coat. The outsides of the bridges have been treated with a gelcoat or topcoat. This finishing is based on the same polymer used in the bridges structural parts and is inseparably bound to it.
It is also resistant to almost all forms of vandalism, like graffiti and fires. Maintenance is limited to cleaning for aesthetic reasons and renewal of the wearing coat when needed.

Safety
Structures using this specially developed composite structures beat structures made out of concrete or steel. The material is virtually fire proof. In case of severe heat, only the toplayer will catch fire.
Compared to steel and concrete structures, on newly developed Instructures, fatigue and corrosion do not occur. Therefore the life-expectancy on these structures is more than a hundred years.

Lightweight construction
The structures are light-weight and therefore account for:
-low transportation costs;
-low on-site costs, since all components are factory-made;
-low foundation costs;
-shorter construction periods and therefore less traffic congestion.
-The bridge can be put into place within an hour;
-low carbon dioxide emissions;
-consumption of small amounts of scarce resources only.

Competitive with concrete and steel
Based on initial costs, the structures are competitive with concrete and steel structures, thanks to automated engineering and the flexibility of the moulds used in manufacturing. When taking in account advantages as production times, light-weight construction, maintenance, life-expectancy and residual values, the technology is stunningly less expensive than traditional building materials.

Partner expertise sought:

- Type of partner sought: public authorities or company active in the field of (sustainable) construction technologies or durable.

- Specific area of activity of the partner: planning department of country's a authorities or construction company's.

- Task to be performed by the partner sought: implemetation of the company's technology.