Bridges

Kerkstra Precast began producing bridge beams in early 2011.

Advantages of Precast Bridge Products:

• Lead times to fabricate and deliver prestressed concrete beams to the jobsite are significantly less than steel beams. On occasion, and in some emergency situations, prestressed beams have literally been setup and cast in one day, and delivered on the jobsite the next day. Twenty-eight day concrete design strengths are capable of being achieved overnight.
• Prestressed box beam bridges are usually lower in both first cost and life cycle cost than other types of bridges. Steel prices continue to escalate which makes the overall cost savings utilizing prestressed beams in the bridge design even more significant.
• Prestressed box beams allow for minimum possible depth to span ratios to provide maximum under clearance and minimum approach grades.
• Prestressed beams are fast and easy to erect, and reduce the overall time to complete a project and have the bridge open to traffic. Bridges designed with prestressed beams can be erected with smaller crews, without several labor classifications, and they lessen the detour time required on large bridge projects.
• Prestressed beams are manufactured under rigid quality control standards. Plants manufacturing precast/prestressed bridge beams for D.O.T. projects must be PCI certified, and each plant is to have its own written QC procedures and quality control department staffed with trained and qualified Q.C personnel. In addition, independent inspection firms, under contract to the D.O.T. or the governmental owner/agency of the bridge project, provide additional in-plant quality assurance on the project.
• Prestressed bridge beams manufactured under today’s rigid quality control procedures are very durable and maintenance free. Bridges are subjected to an assortment of hostile environments as well as repeated impact loading. They must withstand not only nature’s freeze/thaw cycles, but also the artificial weathering cycles induced by man through the use of de-icer chemicals. High strength prestressed concrete beams have excellent resistance to these adverse conditions, and are extremely durable.
• Bridges incorporating prestressed beams in their design are not only strong, tough, and durable, but offer graceful and attractive lines resulting from their relatively low depth to span ratios , and the ability to incorporate various architectural treatments into their exposed sides.