Steel is a sustainable material for the construction of road bridges

Steel is a perfectly sustainable material and in accordance with the request of the European Commission for the creation of a circular economy that conserves materials and resources.

Also, it is twice as sustainable as other elements used in bridge construction shows „Comparative analysis of the life cycle for bridges”.

It is an independent study carried out on behalf of the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend (a Dutch government organization that supports entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on sustainability and innovation) that analyzed several types of materials: wood, concrete, composite plastics and steel.

The study „Comparative analysis of the life cycle for bridges” was carried out by Beco (consulting firm). It collected data from suppliers of the main types of construction materials (wood, concrete, plastics and steel).

The correctness and objectivity of the study was supervised by a steering committee. Being formed by experts in the field of construction and sustainability from the Dutch government Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Bam InfraConsult and environmental consultancy NIBE. The study was also reviewed by environmental experts from the University of Amsterdam (IVAM).

Bauke Bonnema, General Manager of the NL Construction Center at Tata Steel: „The result of this study is of great importance for designers/architects, construction companies and those responsible for purchasing materials for various projects. More and more, sustainability has become an important factor in the choice of construction materials. The study confirms the fact that steel is an extremely sustainable material”.

From the point of view of resources, our society must transform into a circular economy. In this way, the materials can be reintroduced into the cycle. That’s why this study took into account the entire life cycle of different materials. Being a necessary step to issue a correct judgment regarding the sustainability of the materials.

Steel a sustainable material – curiosities

The steels developed today are extremely resistant, resulting in increasingly lighter structures. Using steel, the bridges built can be 4-8 times lighter than concrete bridges. Using the brands and grades of steel currently available, three Eiffel Towers could be made with the initial amount of steel used to build the Eiffel Tower.

It was found that steel is effective for the construction of road bridges. Due to its relatively low weight and excellent recycling properties.

Most people do not realize that steel can be continuously recycled without losing its qualities. In addition, recycled steel can be transformed into a steel of higher quality than the original, a unique characteristic of steel. Wood and plastic composites being burned at the end of their life cycle.

Source: http://www.worldsteel.org/media-centre/Industry-member-news/2014-Member-News/Steel-is-the-sustainable-material-for-road-bridges–says-Dutch-government- report.html