Cat^® Proves Worth in German Bridge Construction  

During the 2022 Bridge Summit, the German Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing (FDP), announced an ambitious plan to modernize 4,000 bridges by 2030.

Many of Germany’s bridges, built in the 1960s and 1970’s, have been aging faster than expected and are in desperate need of repair. ^{3, 4} The urgency of this initiative has required builders to develop new solutions to rapidly rebuild this infrastructure.

The HEITKAMP Group realizes challenging construction projects in the fields of infrastructure, earthworks and environmental protection. With a variety of innovations and new approaches, the construction company reacts flexibly to changing developments in the market The HEITKAMP Schnellbaubrücke® is one of the solutions that is helping Germany to achieve this ambitious goal.

"Our patented HEITKAMP Schnellbaubrücke® uses plastic-reinforced earth as an abutment for the bridge superstructure,” Thorsten Balder, Technical Managing Director at HEITKAMP Brückenbau GmbH, explains. “This enables us to construct the structures very quickly and with significant savings. It means we use less concrete and reduce CO2 emissions by almost 70%. And because traditional concrete components, such as the abutment, are almost entirely replaced by earthworks with stabilizing geogrids and built next to the road, we can avoid traffic disruptions."

HEITKAMP says the Quick Build Bridge was successfully piloted on an A3 highway project in May 2023 and won the special ‘Sustainable Construction’ German Bridge Construction Award. 
 

According to the Herne-based group of companies, the HEITKAMP Schnellbaubrücke® solution is ideally suited to small and medium-sized overpasses such as the B56 near Euskirchen. Like all projects, the construction of this bridge had its challenges. "Damage had occurred to the foundation area from the floods in the summer of 2021, creating an urgent need for action," explains Thorsten. Then there was the traffic volume. "The bridge experiences heavy traffic during mid-September to late December due to the beet harvest.”

To solve this problem, the new bridge was constructed in two phases: from April to August 2022, the first half of the bridge was demolished and rebuilt. Construction was then paused, allowing traffic to use both the old and new halves during harvest season. Then, in April 2023, the demolition and reconstruction of the second half began.
 

Given the urgency of this project, equipment availability was critical for success, Zeppelin Rental was up for the challenge. “Rental equipment enables companies to react flexibly and quickly to project requirements,” explains Thomas Gräb, Key Account Manager at Zeppelin Rental. “Knowing that they have access to the right machines at the right time means they never have to face bottlenecks. Even when additional tasks present themselves.”

Thomas worked closely with HEITKAMP to create a tailor-made solution that included everything from compaction technology, vehicles, hybrid LED light towers, tanks, light giraffes and power generators. And of course, machines: a Cat® 336FLN tracked excavator and a Cat M322 wheeled excavator.

The package also included a variety of quick-change attachments that enable one operator to quickly switch between hydraulic hammers, grapples, digging buckets and more. One machine can move rapidly from task to task with minimal disruption – a big benefit when deadlines are tight.
 

Despite the challenges, the B56 project was successfully completed on time. Thorsten credits the innovation and support from Zepplin Rentals as a big part of their success. "Together as partners, we demonstrated how fast and efficient bridge construction can be with innovative construction methods and modern equipment technology,” he said. “The excellent cooperation between HEITKAMP and Zeppelin Rental once again formed the basis for a successful project."

And, like the bridges themselves, long may it continue.