When John Hillman subjected his bridge beam to load tests, it handled a hydraulic press’s 145 tons of maximum force with ease. The Hillman Composite Beam weighs one third as much as concrete competitors—saving 20 percent on shipping and installation costs—and can hold 50 percent more weight. The beam gets its strength from within. A concrete arch supports the weight above it, and a steel plate running lengthwise prevents the arch from collapsing. A plastic shell wards off corrosion. The first bridge built with the beams opened in August in Illinois. Next up: a 540-foot bridge in Maine, and licensing deals in Canada and Europe.
The first permanent highway installation of HCBs -- the High Road Bridge over Long Run Creek in Lockport Township, Ill. –opened to traffic in August 2008.
The superstructure for this 57-foot (17.4 m), single-span bridge is comprised of six 42-inch (1.067 m) deep HCBs spaced at 7-foot-4-inch (2.23 m) centers, supporting a conventional 8-inch (200 mm) thick reinforced concrete deck.
The superstructure for this 57-foot (17.4 m), single-span bridge is comprised of six 42-inch (1.067 m) deep HCBs spaced at 7-foot-4-inch (2.23 m) centers, supporting a conventional 8-inch (200 mm) thick reinforced concrete deck.
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