Bridge deck, Kolenhaven Bridge, Genk

With almost 40 million tons of goods transported annually, the Albert Canal is the most important waterway in Flanders. Container transport, in particular, has increased tremendously over the past decade. As part of this capacity increase, it is now time to invest in developing the Albert Canal further, by making its bridges wider and higher to safely increase the canal’s inland shipping capacity.

The bridge near Kolenhaven in Genk is part of this project. 

The bridge is mainly comprised of steel girders that are riveted together. The abutments will be replaced, the height of the bridge will be increased and it will be widened. Solid Services has been asked to carry out an inspection and investigation of the concrete bridge deck. 

By performing a visual inspection and taking sufficient sample material to test in our laboratory, we were able to provide an overall picture of the state of the bridge deck. We also determined the various damage mechanisms at play and the extent of the damage. Finally, we analysed the collected results to provide an indication of the bridge’s residual life.