Modular composite bridges for winter roads

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Remote communities of the North rely on ice roads to offer a feasible way to deliver materials and other supplies to otherwise hard to reach areas. Ice roads are accessible for short periods of time and require temporary bridges that are reliable and easy to construct. The bridges currently being used are "Mechano" type bridges. These bridges are difficult to transport due to their weight, are labour intensive to install and are not easily removed at the end of the season. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT) has identified a need for lightweight, single span, removable bridges that are easier to transport, install and remove at the end of the season. This new partnership between the University of Manitoba and Structural Composite Technologies will investigate the feasibility of using composite single span bridges constructed using a balsa wood core and fibre-reinforced (FRP) shell. A composite intensive solution is believed to be the best approach to meet the performance requirements at a reasonable cost. A composite design can offer corrosion resistance and offsite pre-assembly, in addition to the benefit of reduced weight over existing equivalent steel and wood designs.