Bridge Emergency Reconstruction In Record Time

Vona reveals

Globally, the HUESKER Group prides itself on replacing conventional construction methods with solutions that are both sustainable and long-lasting. This very mission is also diligently upheld by the team in North America, as we’ve continued to work with local partners to create effective solutions and promote construction methods that are both efficient and sustainable.

Creating solutions for the future

Over the past few years, HUESKER North America has developed a strong relationship with one of the leaders in sustainability within the U.S. construction industry: Aero Aggregates. In October 2019, HUESKER hosted the "GeoForum", an event where members of the engineering and construction industries were informed about HUESKER's innovative solutions. As part of this event, HUESKER partnered with Aero Aggregates and organized a factory tour and a technical presentation to highlight the benefits of using lightweight recycled foam glass granules in producing an ultra-lightweight foam aggregate used as engineered fill for various construction applications.

Waste as a starting point for something new

Aero Aggregates has developed an ultra-lightweight filling material made from 99% recycled waste glass. This product avoids the generation of waste intended for landfills, has a lower CO₂ footprint compared to other conventional fill materials and reduces the total number of trucks required to transport. This low-density product is approximately 85% lighter than conventional aggregates of similar gradation.

The material is an all-rounder: despite its lightness, it is very pressure-resistant, insulates not only heat but also sound, does not absorb water, which makes it weight-stable, has excellent seepage performance, is fire-resistant and resistant to any environmental influences.

Glass is light – foam glass and geogrids are strong

HUESKER's engineering team has recognized the environmental benefits that the innovative ultra-lightweight foam backfill can bring to infrastructure projects and we’ve had the opportunity to participate in some of these projects. We collaborated with Aero Aggregates very recently in reconstructing a damaged section of the I-95 bridge in Philadelphia and the construction of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall at Terminal 1 of the JFK International airport. The Fortrac geogrids act as tensile reinforcement within the ultra-light weight aggregate mass transferring forces to a larger area and allowing for a safer structure.

An Efficient and Sustainable solution

The section of the I-95 that got damaged was as a result of a tanker carrying gasoline colliding with the bridge abutment. The collision caused flames as high as 1,000oF, and caused tensile deformation of the steel girders and the subsequent collapse of the bridge. Since the I-95 is a crucial highway linking most of the eastern US, this collapse meant disruption of traffic for almost 300,000 vehicles utilizing this highway daily. Opening this section of the I-95 as soon as possible was the goal, however the exit under the collapsed bridge had an 84-inch sewer line underneath the pavement and any proposed solutions needed to eliminate or minimize possible damages to this underlying utility. This problem presented a perfect opportunity for an innovative solution involving the use of Ultra-light Weight aggregates and Huesker’s Fortrac geogrids to construct a temporary Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall. This temporary MSE wall served as a link for collapsed section of the I-95, on which temporary traffic lanes were constructed and allowed opening up the highway to the public in just 12 days after the devastating collapse while permanent repairs continued.

Constructing the MSE wall using Ultra-light weight aggregate did not only reduce the overburden on the underground utility, but also reduced the carbon footprint associated with the use of conventional aggregates. Transporting 6,000 m3 of conventional soils or aggregate will have resulted in an additional 51 tons of CO₂ emission compared to transporting 6,000 m3 of the Ultra-lightweight aggregate due to it being 80% lighter. The temporary MSE wall has since been decommissioned and the Ultra-light weight aggregate will be repurposed by the state department for another project in central Philadelphia.

HUESKER North America is proud to have collaborated with Aero Aggregates on two major projects to deliver environmentally friendly solutions for mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls. The team at HUESKER North America continues to champion collaborations with manufacturers of other innovative technologies to provide effective, sustainable solutions to some of the most challenging engineering problems.

Yours, Vona