Accoya, the world-leading modified wood product manufactured by Accsys Technologies, has been used in the construction of a number of bridges throughout Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.
A number of different types of bridges have been constructed, including truss bridges, cable stayed bridges, an arch bridge, timber concrete composite bridges, a block glulam bridge, and a heavy load bridge. Accoya was used for various structural and aesthetic components of the bridges, including glulam beam, handrails and entrance cladding.
Although designed for different uses, each bridge will face exposure to the harshest weather conditions in Western Europe, including heavy rain, wind and snow during the winter months and warmer temperatures during the summer. Accoya wood is able to endure these contrasting conditions, remaining dimensionally stable and durable, with minimal maintenance required over its lifetime.
A bridge built at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) headquarters in Woking, Surrey, was part of a £14 million redevelopment project at the site, and involved 21m3 of Accoya. The bridge runs over the Basingstoke canal, connecting the WWF headquarters to Woking city centre.
Andrew King, from Constructional Timber, the firm responsible for building the WWF bridge, said: “Sustainability and durability were imperative criteria for the bridge. Accoya’s 50 year above ground guarantee and proven durability provided all those involved in this project with the confidence that Accoya will remain stable and require minimal maintenance over its life span.”
Manufactured using Accsys Technologies’ proprietary process, Accoya is one of the most advanced modified wood products on the market delivering outstanding levels of performance, stability and class 1 durability. Exceeding the high-quality and aesthetic attributes of tropical hardwoods, it also boasts excellent environmental credentials by using wood sourced from FSC certified and sustainable forests as well as being Cradle to Cradle Gold certified.
With such strong credentials, Accoya is bridging the gap to provide the architectural and construction industries with a truly durable, stable and sustainable timber alternative for external structural applications.
Dominik Niewerth, project engineer at Schaffitzel + Miebach which made the bridges in Germany and the Netherlands, said: “When designing each of these bridges, we carefully factored in the external environment where each bridge would be located and Accoya was selected as the most reliable and durable material. Furthermore, our architects were drawn to the aesthetic and eco-friendly nature of the wood which fits well with each of the bridges’ surroundings, and appreciated the low-maintenance that goes hand in hand with Accoya’s 50 year above ground guarantee.”
Bryan Crennell, director of sales and marketing for Accsys Technologies, said: “Accoya is proven as a sustainable, durable, and stable material which is guaranteed against rot and decay for 50 years for exterior use, making it perfect for a variety of external structural and aesthetic applications such as these. Accoya is fast becoming a material of choice for architects throughout Europe and similar structural projects are planned for the coming months.”
