A holistic approach is applied to steel-composite bridges by combining analysis of Lifecycle Assessment (LCA), Lifecycle Costs (LCC) and Lifecycle Performance (LCP). Under the perspective of sustainability an entire lifespan, from the construction to the demolition of a bridge, is regarded. A valuable collection of data on LCA, LCC and LCP is obtained and lifecycle scenarios are described including maintenance strategies. Three representative types of road bridges were chosen and analysed. A differentiation between small motorway bridges, crossings of motorways and big motorway bridges is made. Complete case studies were performed throughout all aspects.
In a second step variations and optimization were applied. The behaviour of each component of bridges is affected by degradation processes such as fatigue, corrosion and carbonation. To capture the process of degradation is the basis of the description of the lifecycle of each specific detail. In own tests for fatigue details (transverse stiffener and horizontally lying shear studs) and corrosion degradation models have been updated. In order to allow for comparisons and elaboration of advantages a multitude of variants were studied including also typical concrete solutions to identify the chances and advantages of steel-composite bridges.
A workshop of experts was organised in Paris and gave a positive feedback to the project. Finally a user-friendly software tool and a handbook showing the methods´ application to users
-Universität of Stuttgart – Institut für Konstruktion und Entwurf, Universität Stuttgart, (Coordinator), Germany
-Universidade de Coimbra, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
-Aktiengesellschaft der Dillinger Hüttenwerke, Germany
-ArcelorMittal S.A., Luxembourg
-Institut français des sciences et technologies des transports, de l'aménagement et des réseaux (former: LCPC), France
-Rambøll Danmark A/S, Denmark
-BRISA Engenharia e Gestão S.A., Portugal
-Service d´études techniques des routes et autoroutes SETRA, France
-Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen BASt, Germany
Founded by RFCS Research Fund for Coal and Steel.
Duration: From July 2009 until June 2012