The bridge will be the first of its kind outside the USA.
The order came from Vertech through Axion’s business partner Sicut Holding. The bridge crosses the River Tweed and is located on a parcel of private property near Edinburgh, Scotland. It has been designed by Cass Hayward and will be constructed on-site by a local Scottish contractor.
The bridge will be approximately 3.6m wide by 27m long and will be used to replace an existing steel beam and timber deck road bridge. The existing bridge is supported by two masonry-built piers and abutments, which are in good condition and will remain in place to support the new bridge designed from Axion’s 100%-recycled plastic RSC materials. The clear span is 8.5m between piers resulting in three effective spans at 9.1m, representing the longest single spans yet constructed using the material. The bridge has been designed to European standards to carry a load of 45t.
“The UK has a significant bridging requirement, particularly in rural areas, to meet modern transport needs,” said CEO of Vertech William Mainwaring. “Whole life costs, particularly with respect to maintenance, are increasingly important and hence we are very excited to be able to introduce this unique new structural material into the UK market. Its environmental credentials combined with its durability and minimum maintenance requirements are a distinct advantage over conventional alternatives as well as offering cost effective solutions. We look forward to working with Sicut and Axion on this project and others.”
Axion’s president and CEO Steve Silverman said: “We are pleased to be a part of this project in Scotland. As the first bridge span in Europe designed from 100% recycled plastic, Axion is pleased that our purchase order with Vertech and partnership with Sicut could make this bridge a reality. As we continue to see acceptance of our recycled plastic products, Axion remains committed to maintaining a diversified sales pipeline with a growing network of international partners around the globe.”
The new bridge will be manufactured and prefabricated in the United States at Axion’s plant in Portland and will be shipped to Liverpool via container ship for delivery to Edinburgh. It will be shipped in six sections (two per span). Its prefabricated nature means that it is expected to be assembled on site with relative ease. It should be fully manufactured and installed by October 2011.
