Annual Ontario Concrete Awards Banquet honors the most creative and visionary projects that have made concrete their construction material of choice. This year it was held on the 28th of November at the Metro Toronto Convention Center, in Toronto.
Awards are given for the following categories: Architectural, Structural, Materials & Constructability, and Sustainability. ComBAR® GFRP, as an innovative material, provided points to the Whitemans Creek Bridge project, which received the Structural Design Innovation Award, in the Structural Category.
Whitemans Creek Bridge with a length of 40m was completed in 2011, and it was the first accelerated bridge construction (ABC) project of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. It is located on highway 24, near Brantford, ON. Precast concrete elements were used on the bridge superstructure and substructure, enabling the replacement of the entire bridge within seven weeks. Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) was used for the joints, shear pockets, and haunches, to significantly increase the structural performance of the bridge.
ComBAR® GFRP reinforcement was used on the top mat deck and parapet walls to eliminate corrosion and consequently increase durability. During construction, we attended the job site at different times to assist on the safety and health instructions and installation. The pre-cast company and the contractor were very happy with our quick reaction and professionalism.
By synthesizing these three elements: ABC, GFRP, and UHPC, this project was considered to be yet another step toward building more durable structures.
Being credited for innovation in the province with the highest construction volume in Canada, ComBAR® has yet higher chances of being used in more projects, especially where corrosion resistance is important.