Stuttgart light rail bridge hangs on Swiss carbon ropes

The Stuttgart network arch bridge with CFRP hangers is ready for insertion. Photo: L. Haspel, sbp Stuttgart - Another milestone for an extremely versatile material with Swiss roots: On May 3, a 127-meter-long railway bridge will be pushed over the A8 motorway near Stuttgart, its 72 suspension cables consisting entirely of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). This ultra-light yet extremely stable material was developed largely at Empa and has since been used in more and more structures. On the night of Sunday, May 3, a spectacular bridge-building event is taking place in Stuttgart: Stuttgarter Strassenbahnen AG (SSB) is extending the U6 light rail line from Stuttgart-Fasanenhof to the airport. This requires a 127-metre long bridge over the A8 motorway. The bridge arch and the deck have been constructed directly next to the motorway in recent months. The filigree network arch bridge consists of two parallel steel arches and the concrete deck suspended from carbon hangers from Switzerland.