Reconstruction of a Ukrainian road bridge by use of 3D printed minimass beams

Minimass is an open “truss-type” concrete and steel beam which creates stiffness and strength through axial compression and tension. The new technique of 3d concrete printing unlocks the potential of this design by allowing the fabrication of these beams at a fraction of the cost of traditional means: no formwork, minimal steel reinforcement, low carbon. The rural bridge in Ukraine is located in Kherson Oblast. The original span was destroyed during the war. The new bridge deck is designed with prefabricated minimass beams, lattice slab concrete panels between the beams and a cast in-situ top slab. The combined use of printed and in-situ concrete leaves various technical issues to be studied, for example the construction joints shall be designed to ensure 100 years’ service life. The minimass beam structure is estimated to reduce the material quantities and embodied carbon by 40% in this case.