New bridge materials

A prefab bridgeA new variety of materials and technologies are becoming widely available for bridge construction. Recycled materials have been used in bridges for thousands of years (Ancient-era building materials were used in new bridge construction throughout the Middle Ages, for instance). But, today recycled materials, even plastics, are being used in structures with combinations of composites, hybrid metal and wire supports and a variety of high-strength, low cost materials. This link will take you to a recorded presentation on fiber-reinforced polymers in road and bridge construction. (It requires Adobe Connect, a free plug-in for your browser.)