What are UNIBRIDGE modular steel bridge designs?

UNIBRIDGE® steel bridge designs are arguably, the most innovative and revolutionary concept in medium sized prefabricated bridges in the last 50–60 years and truly a product for the 21st century.

UNIBRIDGE®’s revolutionary steel bridge design allows the fast building of medium sized high capacity bridges in a very limited time, using readily available staff and equipment.

A UNIBRIDGE® can be used for permanent structures or for short term applications, such as when a bridge is needed for emergency situations, or to fulfil a specific need for a short period of time, such as new road construction.

UNIBRIDGE® has three options:

  • The all steel option which enables rapid installation on existing or pre-built abutments.
  • A composite option with a concrete deck cast in situ.
  • A composite option with a concrete deck made from precast slabs.
The UNIBRIDGE® all steel option is always an asset as it can be moved to another location or sold, even after a long permanent application.

Beams and male-female connections of steel bridge designClose up view of beams and male-female connections of steel bridge design Steel bridge design structure's first beamAlternate view of steel bridge design structure's first beam

UNIBRIDGE® benefits

  • UNIBRIDGE® steel bridge designs are built to meet the permanent bridge standards of the Eurocode N° 3 which include a design life of 100 years and 2 million cycles. (One cycle is the movement of one vehicle at the maximum weight allowed crossing the length of the bridge at the legal speed.)
  • UNIBRIDGE® meets most standards requirement to a loading capacity of up to 80 tons at legal speed (some restrictions could apply to meet local rules and regulations).
  • When assembled, UNIBRIDGE® modules are pre-cambered.
  • UNIBRIDGE® steel bridge designs are versatile. Bridges can be 1, 2, 3 or more lanes in width and up to 4 modules in length or a 45m (148ft) span.
  • UNIBRIDGE® is very easy and fast to install. For example, a single lane span of 33m (108ft) will take about 13 hours.
  • UNIBRIDGE® has a limited number of parts. Each module of 11.4 m (38 ft) has only 22 parts (excluding nuts and bolts).
  • UNIBRIDGE® can be transported inside a normal 40ft sea container without any freight surcharge, or on a normal semi trailer.
  • UNIBRIDGE® uses “locknut type” nuts to ensure perfect tightening. Nuts and bolts are not reusable when removed to avoid vandalism.
  • UNIBRIDGE® requires only minimal maintenance in normal situations. Repainting every 20 to 30 years is recommended – normal for any metallic structure.
  • UNIBRIDGE® is protected with 3 different layers of paint to ensure the best possible protection against rust and damage. After “bit blasting”, the first coat of zinc based anti corrosion rust proof paint is applied, then a layer of special liaison paint and then the final chosen paint colour.
  • UNIBRIDGE® steel bridge designs can be supplied in a wide range of colours to suit the site.
  • UNIBRIDGE® is supplied with standard regular performance level barriers. The barriers are designed so that the barrier posts will fail first in order to minimise the possibility of damage to the main structural members.

Lifting the steel bridge design structure's first beamFirst beam set in place in the steel bridge design Monsteroux - Two beams in place of the steel bridge designSpacers installation to the steel bridge design

See our gallery for more images and details on the modules that make up our steel bridge designs »

Temporary steel bridge designs have many useful applications. In fact the first modern temporary bridge, the famous Bailey Bridge, was created and used extensively during World War II, over 60 years ago. Read more about temporary bridges and their applications in Bernard Shepherd’s paper, delivered to the Australian Small Bridges Conference in 2005.