Installation of GRP bridge decking elements

When the bridge was inspected in 2012, the wooden cladding was found to be badly damaged. There were holes in the decking – a potential tripping hazard for pedestrians – and the glued joints in parts of the main girders were starting to open up as a result of lateral rain ingress.

The side elements, which were protected from above by sheet trims, were still in good condition, however the wooden bridge deck was past repair.

The refurbishment project involved installing our krafton© bridge decking elements, which are made from glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GRP) and finished with an extra coating.

The GRP planks were clamped to the girders, only the outer two rows were fastened using stainless steel screws.

In addition, weak points in the original design for bridge drainage had to be corrected. To achieve this, the side elements and the reinforcing wood were covered with an EPDM film and installed with a slight forward gradient to ensure continuous rainwater drainage and avoid pooling.