The bridges were commissioned by the military and built at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in order to help facilitate troop movements which were becoming more difficult using wooden bridges with substantially less load/weight capacity. Axion International’s bridges are less expensive to maintain and are engineered to carry the extreme tonnage requirements for armored military vehicles that would simply not be possible with similar wooden bridges.
Constructed from 100% recycled high load plastic, Axion International’s two bridges transform waste products that would otherwise be land filled, they resist rot and damaging insects without the use of chemical treatments and require minimal maintenance throughout their lifecycles. In addition, Axion International’s initial construction costs are similar to timber bridges, and they have a life expectancy of 50 years.
“The military provides a compelling validator for Axion’s high-growth business model and our cutting-edge technology,” said James Kerstein, chief executive officer. “Not only are Axion’s bridges eco-friendly, they are superior in their structural properties and remarkably cost-effective. We strongly believe the success of these prototypes will lead to significantly more business from the military.”
To date, recycled plastic has mainly been used in non-structural or low-stress applications such as park benches, picnic tables, and residential decking. With Axion International’s patented technology, structural-grade reinforced plastic building materials are an emerging technology for use in load-bearing construction. These plastic designs do not contain any wood material and are inherently resistant to rot and attack by insects without the need for chemical treatments. Innovative plastic I-beam components were used to support the heavy loads and to provide a design that is cost-competitive to a treated-wood bridge designed to carry the same load.
“Already used by the US Army, Axion’s technology is ready to go mainstream, and I believe structural engineers and environmentally conscious individuals across the nation would agree it’s about time to fix America’s aging infrastructure with a superior product that’s considerably better for the environment,” continued Kerstein. “It is estimated to cost an astonishing $279 billion to repair every structurally deficient and obsolete bridge in the United States today. Even if our technology was utilized in only a fraction of these cases, our growth potential would be extraordinary.”
The construction of the plastic bridges at Fort Bragg utilized about 84,828 pounds of recycled plastic including the equivalent 508,968 one gallon milk jugs and juice containers. To promote green technology and take advantage of the sizable long-term cost savings, the US Army announced that a third bridge has been planned at Fort Bragg.
Utilizing virtually 100% recycled plastics, Axion International’s structural products have the distinct advantage of not only being environmentally friendly, but also providing its clients with building materials of quality and life expectancy. Current structural applications include: railroad crossties, bridge infrastructure, marine pilings and bulk heading. Developed in conjunction with scientists at Rutgers University, Axion International’s patented process transforms recycled consumer and industrial plastics into a myriad of structural products that are ideal replacements for last-generation materials, such as wood, steel or concrete.
