COWIfonden supports PhD student
COWIfonden has granted 70,000DKK to PhD student Søren Gustenhoff Hansen from the Department of Technology and Innovation for experiments which will identify the impact of damage to concrete bridges on their weight-bearing capacity.
The experiments will investigate the damage from Alkali Silica Reactions (AAR) to concrete bridges. Damage occurs when concrete bridges with a high content of porous flint are exposed to water and alkalis from cement or de-icing salts.
The weight-bearing capacity of damaged concrete constructions is today determined by experiments and investigations which provide a snapshot of a bridge's weight-bearing capacity at that moment. Through his experiments, Søren Gustenhoff Hansen hopes to develop a practicable method that can predict when AAR affects a bridge's weight-bearing capacity to such an extent that the bridge should be replaced or restored.
The Danish Road Directorate and Banedanmark have estimated that approximately 600 Danish bridges are at risk of developing this type of damage in the near future.
The experiments will begin around 1st August and are expected to conclude at the end of 2015.
For more information contact:
Søren Gustenhoff Hansen, PhD student at the Department of Technology and Innovation at sgh@iti.sdu.dk
COWIfonden supports research and development projects at universities or research institutes with a long-term perspective and effect within COWI's domain, namely consultancy in engineering, environment and economics.