NEWS
Second life for hardwood sheet pile In the Dutch city of Koog a/d Zaan, a pilot project was carried out for a new sheet pile construction over a length of 30 meters. Old sheet pile sections are reused according to a new process. In this process, old azobÊ hardwood sheet pile sections are extended just under the waterline by means of a finger joint with softwood to the required length of the new sheet pile. Research has shown that the durability of the hardwood reprocessed and used in this way doesn’t differ from that of new hardwood. With this development, according to the parties involved, the wood is used both circular and Cradle to Cadle with a lifespan of at least 25 years. The new process is being applied by Van Swaay Duurzaam Hout (Harlingen, The Netherlands) which processes the combination of hardwood and softwood in the so-called H2H products. The pilot project was carried out by Benecke Aannemingsmaatschappij from Zaandam. http://www.vanswaay.nl/
Biobased bridge Monday 18 June, Schiphol Logistics Park officially opened the biobased bridge at the logistics business park in Rozenburg. Schiphol Logistics Park, FiberCore Europe and TU Delft joined forces to construct this special footbridge. Never before was a bridge constructed in a regular building process with materials as sustainable as the materials of this bridge. Because of the composition of its materials the bridge is a special innovation. For his thesis at the Bridge Design Group of TU Delft architect Rafail Gkaidatzis did research into a footbridge implementing the highest proportion of biobased materials possible. The result is a so-called bio-basalt balsa (B3) bridge of 15 meters long and 2 meters wide. The bridge spans the waterway between the Ringdijkpark and the Naritaweg at Schiphol Logistics Park and is publicly accessible. The composite bridge at Schiphol Logistics Park was made possible by Mafic S.A. as supplier of the basalt fibres, BALTEK VBC by Airex AG, a member of 3A Composites, as supplier of the balsa, Poly Base Produktie B.V. for the processing of the balsa and Royal Haskoning DHV. More at the website of Innovatieve Materialen (Dutch)>
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