The Netherlands is a country with many canals and low-lying terrain, so bridges are essential for travel. However, the wooden structure of the bridge was worn out, and the discovery and use of wood plastic composite bridges began to gradually replace the wooden bridges. The first wood plastic composite decking bridge in Rotterdam was installed in 2009, and its proprietary fibre-reinforced polymer technology was originally used in aerospace program development and is now widely used in bridges.
Wood Plastic Composite Decking Bridges Are Easier to Install
Rotterdam officials stated that wood plastic composite decking bridges are easier to install and have a longer lifespan than wooden bridges. Cities on the Atlantic side can also take advantage of their own advantages, but economic factors may restrict their development because compared with Europe, wood is more abundant and cheaper in the United States. Although wood plastic composite decking buildings have a longer service life, they have a little higher upfront cost. Therefore, the return on such investments in Europe is faster. Wood Plastic Composite Bridge Construction And Development
Wood Plastic Composite Materials Are Widely Used on Decks
According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, U.S. forest product exports in the fiscal year 2015 broke records. Although wood is abundant in the United States, wood plastic composite material products are also used in bridge construction, such as non-slip surfaces and decorations. Bridges made of wood plastic composite materials are not common in the United States, but wood-plastic materials have a long history as building structural materials. The wood plastic composite materials are widely used on decks, patios and benches. Because it contains water, it is also an ideal choice as an application material. The first wood plastic composite material bridge in the United States was opened in New York in 2011. The bridge used composite materials and made of recyclable plastic. This material has been widely used in bridge manufacturing in the United States and Europe. Future economic factors will promote the development of plastic bridges in the United States, and the decline in plastic prices will make it widely used in structural materials.