Concrete Bridges Cost Less, Last Longer, Look Better:
Today's Material of Choice for Bridge-Builders Everywhere
Incorporating
economy and durability with versatility and beauty, reinforced concrete
offers designers, builders, and owners a multiplicity of advantages over
other materials:
Lower cost
From reduced construction costs to lower
maintenance costs, the competitive cost-value of reinforced concrete
is regularly recognized in
bidding situations.
Greater Durability
Reinforced concrete bridges survive
for extended services lives, more easily withstanding the effects
of corrosive substances and environmental
extremes. A recent analysis by the National Bridge Institute of structurally
deficient or functionally obsolete bridges in the U.S. also indicates nearly
20 percent of all steel bridges in the U.S. built since 1955 are now considered
deficient, compared to only 7 percent of all reinforced concrete bridges — proof
positive that reinforced concrete bridges are durable.
Enhanced Aesthetics
Reinforced concrete makes possible the kind
of long-span bridge design that often becomes a civic asset, symbolizing
hope
for the future and attracting tourism as well as other forms of economic
development.
In 1955, fewer than 40 percent of all bridges were made of reinforced concrete. By 1995, 70 percent were reinforced concrete, and the percentage continues to grow.
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Reinforced Concrete Bridges: 1990-2000 Retrospective |
