Aluminum structural plate best for saltwater applications.
The Twillingate area of Newfoundland is accessed by a series of roads that link a number of islands. The various causeways are subject to the action of seawater and ice throughout the seasons. In 1986, the Department of Works Services and Transportation chose to specify a large Dur•A•Span™ box culvert to replace an aging concrete bridge as part of an upgrading project on Route 344.
Dur•A•Span™: the obvious choice to replace crumbling concrete bridges.
Following a public tender call, Twillingate Construction Ltd. was the successful bidder. Owner Brian Guy immediately orderd the structure from AIL. The Dur-A-Span™ structure, designated as DS-81B, had a span of 7.5 m, a rise of 3.2 m and was 13.2 m long. It had a full aluminum invert and toe walls at both ends to prevent erosion and scour.
Assembled and installed in less than two weeks.
By mid-September, the structure arrived on site and the contractor began assembly with the assistance of AIL's Tim MacDonald, CET. The assembly was done adjacent to the site on the side of the road and was completed in one week. The old structure was removed and after preparing the bedding, the Dur-A-Span™ Box Culvert was lowered into place and backfilled, partially in the wet using a crushed rock material. The installation was completed on September 26, 1986.
Maintenance free and still shining many years later.
An inspection was completed in 2002, some 19 years later, and the Dur•A•Span™ box culvert was found to be in pristine condition. The Strong's Island aluminum box is another example of aluminum structural plate weathering severe conditions and providing a maintenance-free bridge.
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Dur•A•Span™ Box Culvert, Strong's
