Bridges

Stainless steel for bridges and infrastructure

Bridge projects are in a class of their own – just like Outokumpu stainless steel. Marked by harsh environments, heavy lifetime usage and high aesthetic expectations, bridges demand special considerations upfront if they’re to go the distance.

Exceptional strength without the weight

Because of its corrosion-resistance, bridges stand up to salt air, chemicals, and pollution. Since stainless steel bridges don't need a protective coating, maintenance schedules are greatly reduced. Expert bridge builder CEO of Stål & Rörmantage, Ronny Södergren, has been working with Outokumpu stainless steel for over 20 years. Watch the video on how he masters the challenges of designing and building environmentally friendly stainless steel bridges.

Fully recyclable

Read the stainless steel composite bridge study

Watch our bridge webinar series

Find the correct stainless steel grade for your bridge project

Find out the ideal stainless steels for your bridge project

Which stainless steel grades would be ideal your bridge project? Try our simple material selection tool for product recommendations and expert tips.

Open the material selector

Benefits of using duplex stainless steel for bridges

Performance

  • High strength allowing low weight designs
  • Range of grades with superior corrosion resistance for little to no maintenance
  • Excellent formability and weldability to fit any design
  • The most durable and cost-effective option in the long term
  • The sustainable choice

Expertise

  • Excellent project and delivery capabilities enable efficient construction
  • Prefabrication of components and supply of “kit of parts”, ready for assembly
  • Grades tailored to specific needs
  • Grade selection advice and laboratory and field testing
  • Highly specialized service centers for customized needs

How to build a bridge that saves a fortune

Andy Backhouse, Outokumpu’s Lead Technical Manager for structural applications, explains how local authorities and transport agencies are turning to duplex stainless steel as a bridge building material that will protect budgets over the long term.

Bridge the performance gap with Forta LDX 2101

Lean-alloyed duplex stainless steel Forta LDX 2101 has many advantages that make it a more cost effective and environmentally friendly long-term choice.

Why choose stainless steel for bridges?

High strength allowing low weight designs

Demands on bridges can vary immensely. Outokumpu’s Forta duplex stainless steel is suitable for all types of bridges from pedestrian to heavy load road and rail bridges. Often, outstanding strength correlates with increased weight, but duplex stainless steel enables lightweight bridge design without compromising on strength or safety. The high strength allows less material to be used, reducing the weight of the bridge.

 

Superior corrosion resistance

From harsh cold climates to coastal areas, bridges need to withstand all types of weather and other corrosive elements. De-icing salts used in cold and icy conditions, salty air in coastal areas and pollutants such as sulphur dioxide pose significant threats to the long-term integrity of bridges. Stainless steel stands up to salty air and pollutants without the need for a protective coating. It offers unbeatable durability where other materials might require frequent maintenance or risk of structural failure.

 

 Bridge

 

Excellent ductility, formability and weldability to fit any design

Stainless steel enables attractive designs that seamlessly blend in with contemporary urban environments as well as historic settings. Structural engineers and architects have turned to stainless steel as a durable and visually striking alternative to traditional carbon steel. Since Forta Duplex stainless steel offers an attractive combination of high strength, ductility, formability and weldability, it is ideal for lightweight structures with aesthetic designs.

 

The most durable and cost-effective option

Stainless steel does not only have to be perceived as a premium material, but it can bring significant savings in overall lifecycle costs. In fact, based on a study conducted by Arup, lean duplex stainless steel in a composite steel-concrete bridge offered the lowest LCC for bridges over minor or major roads, marine and railway bridges. Especially for bridges in corrosive environments, maintenance budgets can overshadow the original capital cost. Designed to last for over 100 years, the right grade of stainless steel will provide a lower cost option than using carbon steel due to savings in maintenance, repainting and repairs. The high strength of duplex stainless steel can also lead to material savings. It allows designers to reduce the weight of the structure, which saves material, transportation and installation costs.

 

The sustainable choice

Not only does stainless steel enable long-lasting designs, it is also 100% recyclable once the structure has reached the end of its service life. Stainless steel does not require coating nor frequent repainting and maintenance that can be disruptive to users and damaging to the environment. Additionally, modular design of stainless steel bridges allows a high degree of prefabrication, which minimizes the environmental impact on site as a large part of the production can take place in a controlled and safe environment. In our world today, it is not sustainable to continue spending money on bridges that have high maintenance costs. Stainless steel is the environmentally friendly choice for modern bridges and Outokumpu is the most sustainable supplier of stainless steel.

Recommended insights

Article

What if bridges were built to last?

Case pedestrian bridge

Spanning time and distance

Article

Home of Rioja wine toasts sustainable stainless steel footbridge

Case Pedestrian Bridge at TRUMPF Headquarters

Footbridge safely connects TRUMPF employees

Case Stockholm railway bridge

Upgrading bridge construction

Case Södertälje bridge

Designed to last

Case Story

The ultimate cliffhanger - The Gap

Article

Duplex in bridges and structures

Article

Sustainability is driving the adoption of duplex steel

Recommended products

Forta
Hot rolled coil, strip and plate
Quarto plate
Specialized components

Downloads

Special Surfaces - Outokumpu Deco Range
Deco Linen Datasheet
Deco Linen without slubs Datasheet
Deco Supermatt Datasheet
Outokumpu publishes environmental product declarations (EPD) for its main stainless steel products. We are currently updating the documents and they will be published soon on our website.

If you have any questions, please send a message to: sustainability@outokumpu.com and we will be in touch.
LEED Green Building Rating Systems
LEED points summary
Safety information sheet for stainless steel in Europe
RoHS 2018
A selection of Stainless steel complying with BASTA and BVB
Atmospheric Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel at slightly elevated temperatures
The suitability of stainless steels for road constructions
Austenitic and duplex stainless steels used as construction materials
Corrosion properties of UNS S32101 – Reinforcement bar
A new lean duplex stainless steel for construction purposes
Weight optimisation in offshore construction
MIC on stainless steels in wastewater treatment plants
Stainless steel rebar
Utilization of the material strength for lower weight and cost with LDX 2101

Interested in learning more? Download these articles.