A pioneering railway bridge claimed to be the world’s first to use carbon load-bearing elements in its superstructure officially opened last week, connecting Germany and Poland.
The Oder bridge near Küstrin-Kietz, Germany, was inaugurated at a ceremony attended by VIP guests, in a celebration of what is considered a symbol of European cooperation by the visiting dignitaries.
Among the invited guests were Michael Theurer, federal commissioner for rail transport in Germany and Poland; Piotr Malepszak, undersecretary of state in the Ministry of Infrastructure in Poland; as well as Dr Dietmar Woidke, prime minister of the State of Brandenburg.
The innovative network arch bridge features a special engineering solution developed by schlaich bergermann partner (sbp): A lightweight and material-saving hanger net that uses carbon tensile elements.
Andreas Keil, a board Member of sbp SE, said: “We are proud that we were able to convince the client of our alternative technical solution of a network arch with carbon hangers. As such, the Oder Bridge symbolizes a striking example of innovative engineering and marks a new chapter in bridge construction.”
It is the second bridge structure by sbp that uses carbon hangers for the superstructure. The Stuttgart light rail bridge, which was awarded the German Engineering Prize, has also used carbon hangers.
Lorenz Haspel, director of research and development at sbp, added: “It has been a journey from a good idea to a bold decision to a new type of structural system. I am particularly pleased that initial doubts turned into valued cooperation with many parties involved in this project.”
International competition
The design concept for the new replacement bridge emerged from a two-stage international design competition, which Schüßler-Plan and Knight Architects won.
The project comprises two slender and elegant bridge structures. The 266m-long main crossing replaces a derelict, 1926 single-track truss with a distinctive 130m network arch spanning the Oder River.
With its crown positioned above the demarcation line of the border, the steel structure acts as a landmark that highlights the importance of the location and welcomes travellers between the two countries. The result is a filigree network arch which blends seamlessly into the continuous three-span Eastern approach on the Polish side.
The less dramatic, but equally important, 176m Odervorflut bridge crosses a flood relief canal 500m West of the main crossing and is designed with similar architectural features to the main bridge. Part of the overall project is also the renewal of the track system in a section of 1,250m in length.
The project’s general planning services were provided by Schüßler-Plan with Knight Architects overseeing the architectural concept development throughout developed design and planning application.
Moreover, sbp developed the structural design of the network arch bridge, that followed the competition-winning concept, but instead of the originally proposed flat bar steel hangers, carbon cables with a diameter of 50mm were used.
Carbon first
This significantly reduced the weight of the structure and cut the amount of steel and concrete used in the deck. The structure is claimed to be the world’s first – and so far – only rail bridge using the high-performance material carbon for significant load-bearing elements.
André Hörmeyer, managing director of Schüßler-Plan Ingenieurgesellschaft in Berlin, said: “The inauguration of the rail bridges over the Oder River and the Odervorflut marks the completion of a technically outstanding and complex project.
“Thanks to the impressive teamwork of all those involved and the excellent cross-border cooperation, this challenging project could be realised. We are proud to have accompanied this impressive project throughout its entire duration, from the competition to its successful completion.”
Bart Halaczek, director at Knight Architects and project lead for the Küstrin bridges, added: “The Küstrin-Kietz Rail Crossing will play a crucial role in improving the transport links between Poland and Germany.
“Our concept provided a simple, clear and elegant design solution that distilled the complexity of a large railway development project to a single object with powerful, symbolic meaning and we welcome the tenacity with which the client and engineers retained the original design intent.
“The use of carbon fibres in the load bearing structure is a world first and demonstrates how great design and innovation can go hand in hand to deliver beautiful structures that connect people and enrich communities.”
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