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As BV Nederland, we have set ourselves the goal of reducing CO2-emissions by 55% and even be completely circular by 2050. Also in infra. With the new Bögl Modular Viaduct, these goals "suddenly" become achievable. The concept was awarded the Innovation Award at InfraTech 2023 earlier this year, and also lends itself perfectly to the major replacement task we face in the Netherlands.
No asphalt, no joints, a (very) short construction time, easy disassembly and reuse, just some of the catchphrases that apply to the Bögl Modular Viaduct. "From the sustainability perspective, from the scarcity of skilled workers, from the nitrogen issue, definitely an interesting concept," says Mike Rijnbeek, business manager project acquisition at Max Bögl Netherlands. "The only challenge we still have is emissions-free assembly. There is still a lack of fossil-free equipment in this class, but that is a matter of time."
The Modular Viaduct Bögl consists of abutments made of reinforced soil construction with a span of steel-concrete girders and deck slabs made of concrete. "It is a complete bridge system from precast elements that we prepare completely in our factory," explains Rijnbeek. "On site, it's just a matter of assembling it. Because the deck plates are ground very precisely, they fit together seamlessly. They are pre-tensioned with a steel cable to form a watertight and monolithic whole. This allows us to keep the construction slim (read: less use of materials, ed.) and eliminates the need for joints or asphalt. Moreover, the strong point is that this concept enables reuse at a high level. All this together results in huge savings on life cycle costs." Rijnbeek therefore advocates including life cycle costs in tenders. "Currently that is purely focused on construction costs. It's only logical that life cycle costs should be included there as well."
The economic lifetime of an average viaduct in the Netherlands is between seventy and eighty years. "The individual elements of the Modular Viaduct Bögl are fine for two life phases," Rijnbeek knows. "And even after that, the elements are not written off. A cover plate, for example, can be used perfectly well afterwards as a floor in a building. That product thinking is in the genes at Max Bögl. We believe very much in industrialization and standardization. Standardization often has a negative ring to it, but it is precisely standardization that makes reuse easier. And that certainly does not have to mean that everything looks the same, with handrail and edge elements a lot is possible (see artist impression, ed.). By serial production we create economies of scale and reduce production costs." Especially for the large replacement task Netherlands, Rijnbeek sees plenty of opportunities. "How nice it would be to tender in 'bulk'. The more elements we can produce at the same time, the more favorable it becomes. Both from sustainability and production capacity. Moreover, with our concept you can build more viaducts with a limited number of skilled workers. And in the process, the inconvenience to the environment and to road users is a whole lot less."
With the four standard span lengths and two deck widths, Max Bögl is able to replace more than 85% of the current Department of Public Works viaducts. "Because we mass-produce the elements, we consume far fewer raw materials. Over the first life phase, we save 49% in material compared to a traditional construction method. The CO2-emissions are as much as 70% lower over that first phase of life," says Rijnbeek. "And if we can later also use fossil-free equipment for assembly, additional savings will follow. We therefore have high expectations for our Modular Viaduct Bögl, as we are already set for the 2030 climate goals."
