Construction of new Prüm bridge in Minden, Germany
Construction of new Prüm bridge in Minden, Germany
Secugrid®-reinforced temporary bridge abutment secures traffic flow during the construction
On the outskirts of Minden in Rhineland-Palatinate, an ageing reinforced concrete bridge crosses the River Prüm. As it was no longer designed for today’s traffic loads and load-bearing capacity problems had already been identified, the Gerolstein state mobility authority decided to build a new bridge. A full closure was not an option during the construction of the new bridge due to the high volume of traffic, so traffic was to be routed over a temporary bridge. As a quick and cost-effective solution, the Flesch engineering consultants planned to construct the temporary bridge abutments and the associated ramps as a reinforced earth structure. A modular bridge element from Retrobridge completed the project.
When planning the temporary bridge, it was important that the 40 m wide drainage cross-section of the Prüm stream discharge would not be constricted so that the water could run off unhindered even during flood events. The approx. 85° steep and up to 6.4m high Secugrid® geogrid-reinforced bridge abutments fulfilled this requirement and saved a considerable amount of fill soil compared to naturally filled embankments, which also had a positive effect on construction progress. Secugrid® geogrid-reinforced bridge abutments are 100% recyclable, reduce construction time through rapid construction, reduce construction costs and save up to 85% greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional reinforced concrete structures. The geosynthetic solution even withstood a flood event that occurred during the construction period of the new bridge.
