Bridges

More bridges are built using concrete than any other material worldwide, demonstrating
continued con dence in the material’s performance and durability. Concrete bridges have a
clear track record of exibility and versatility in terms both of nal forms and methods of
construction that is hard to match.

Durability, aesthetics, economic solutions, simpli ed construction and rapid deployment

techniques all contribute to making concrete the best construction material for any bridge
project, whatever the size, form or intended use. Greater construction exibility can be realised
through the many forms of concrete easily available nationwide, making concrete an adaptable
resource suitable for deployment for even the most challenging of bridge types or construction
sites.

Bene ts of concrete bridges

Function and elegance

The range of structural forms achievable with concrete is limited only by designers’ imagination,
enabling the creation of elegant bridge structures that blend seamlessly with natural
surroundings. Concrete unites both function and elegance in safe, robust structures, regardless
of scale. Architectural surface nishes can add to visual impacts while at the same time
eliminating the need for cladding, painting and ongoing maintenance activities.

Durability

Concrete is ideally suited to exposure to aggressive environmental conditions, meaning

achievable service lives of 120 years or more. Well designed and constructed concrete bridges
require only minimum maintenance to keep them in good working condition.

Versatility

Concrete’s versatility enables the cost-e ective delivery of a wide range of structural forms and
associated spans. For instance, solutions including concrete arches, slab decks, beam bridges,
box girder, cable stayed, stressed ribbon and inclined frames o er spans ranging from 5m to in
excess of 400m.

Speed and buildability

Adequate pre-planning, precasting of elements and the use of appropriate technology in design
and construction can make concrete the cheapest and fastest material for constructing durable,
quality bridges. Techniques such as sliding, launching, jacking or modular construction make
concrete bridge solutions quick and competitive.

Sustainability

Concrete as a locally-sourced material with low environmental and social impacts, it lends itself
to structures with a typical design life of at least 100 years with low maintenance requirements,
thereby providing a sustainable solution for bridge construction. Furthermore, up to 95 per cent
of concrete and reinforcement used in bridges is recyclable at the end of its viable use.

Economy

Competitive initial construction costs, coupled with reduced inspection and maintenance,
means concrete’s cost e ciency is very attractive in the long-term.

For more information on the bene ts of concrete bridges, download Concrete Bridges from the
Publications Library.

Bridge types

Concrete bridges come in all shapes and sizes, see Bridge types.

For more information on concrete bridges, visit www.cbdg.org.uk