28.12.2023 - Aluminium Association

28 December, Nizhny Novgorod. The first aluminium road bridge in Russia - a true innovation for the aluminium and construction industry - has opened for traffic. A 72-metre long bridge across the Linda River was built in the town of Bor on the Tolokontsevo – Mogiltsy motorway. The spans (beams) and orthotropic plates are entirely made of aluminium alloys – such technologies had never been applied in bridge building in Russia previously. The bridge has been constructed by state order of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Government. The Krasnoyarsk Metallurgical Plant (KraMZ) and Samara Metallurgical Plant (SMZ) provided rolled aluminium and metal structures.

The structure consists of four aluminium spans of 18 metres each. The span beams are made of plates with the width of 25-42 millimeters (1565Чм aluminium alloy) and orthotropic plate made of 6082T6 aluminium alloy, which can resist high operational loads. The bridge structures were made using the unique friction stir welding method. The span beams were consolidated at the construction site with bolted connections, mounted on pillars, after that orthotropic plates were installed. The final stage of work included water insulation and asphalt laying.

“Aluminium Association and expert community from across the country have actively participated in the implementation of this project. A huge amount of work has been done to create regulatory documentation. It should be noted that the first aluminium road bridge on the continent is a completely domestic development. All scientific research was carried out in Russia as well as materials and technologies were made in Russia” said Evgeny Vasiliev, Deputy Chair and Head of Transport Infrastructure at the Aluminium Association.

The construction of aluminium road bridge is a result of many tests and trials on the dynamics, tension, fire and wear resistance, quality connection, etc. From the very beginning, the leading scientific and production centres of the country, including Institute of Light Materials & Technologies (ILM&T), Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (NIU MGSU), Research Center of Artificial Structures (Bridges) took part in this project.

One of the crucial advantages of aluminium alloy structures are low maintenance costs. Aluminium bridges do not need regular anti-corrosion or special treatment. In addition, such constructions are manufactured at the plant and can be easily delivered to the construction site. Due to their light weight no expensive heavy cranes or additional workers are needed at any stage of assembly works.

Irina Kazovskaya, Chair at the Aluminium Association: «Aluminium has a great potential in bridge building: it has a number of indisputable advantages in comparison with other construction materials. Aluminium bridges and bridge kits contribute to save the budgets thanks to their low cost of ownership and long life cycle. Aluminium and aluminium-based alloys allow to create, unusual and even futuristic constructions. It is a cost-effective, ecological and aesthetic solution”.

It is worth recalling that it was in the Nizhny Novgorod Region in 2017 that two elevated pedestrian bridges of aluminium were built for the first time in modern Russia.

Today the Aluminium Association is actively developing transport infrastructure. The number of already built aluminium alloy bridges is increasing every year. 18 bridges with aluminium structures have been put into operation. Currently, over 63 bridges using aluminium structures are being designed in Russia, including pedestrian bridges for export. They are in demand abroad due to their unique characteristics.