At Karins, we’re always trying to stay at the forefront of the innovations that are happening in our own industry and adjacent industries within the world of engineering and construction, like this new bridge-building method.

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Structural engineers at the Vienna University of Technology introduced a new bridge-building method in 2006. The first application took place in a 100-meter long bridge crossing the Lahnbach in Austria between October 2019 and January 2020. The innovative concept of the method resembles a “closed” umbrella that unfolds, achieving the final form of the bridge. The method is considered to be very cost-effective in terms of material usage. Thin-walled, U-shaped, and prefabricated concrete and hollowed elements were used for the construction of the bridge’s girders in order to be lightweight for the lifting procedure. The new construction method is considered to be more suitable for bridges with high piers, span lengths between 50 and 250 meters, and that are at locations where extensive scaffolding and formwork are a deterrent.

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To learn more about the Umbrella Method, check it out here: https://www.thestructuralengineer.info/.../new-bridge