The Army's first plastic bridge

Revolutionary technology has enabled the Army to open its first plastic bridge, a structure that supports loads in excess of 70 tons and is more than strong enough to allow a crossing by an M1 Abrams tank.

Axion International Holdings, Inc., a next-generation technology innovator utilizing recycled plastic for high-load industrial products, unveiled its composite bridge made entirely from recycled plastic at Fort Bragg, in North Carolina. This is the first known structure of its kind.

"This represents a 'first of its kind' event in terms of how we partnered with industry, the R&D community and government in looking for sustainable solutions to infrastructure challenges," said Col. Stephen J. Sicinski, garrison commander at Fort Bragg. "What better way to commemorate this, than with a recycled plastic bridge that is going to hold an M1 Abrams tank."

A video of the military dedication ceremony and the demonstration of the M1 Abrams tank has been posted online:

Roger Hamerlick, a senior Army acquisition policy specialist, said after a series of studies the Department of Defense became aware it spends an average of $22.5 billion annually on military equipment and infrastructure due to corrosion. For the Army this is approximately $5.8 billion annually.

Officials said not only is the monetary cost a negative factor, but when replacing a bridge, one must consider the amount of time that a certain route is unusable as well as having to find another route, all of which impacts the time available for training.

The Army predicts the bridge, made of 85,000 pounds of recycled plastic, will bring a 34 to 1 return on investment by using the technology in certain bridge applications. These bridges are resistant to rot and damage from insects, don't need chemical treatments and require minimal maintenance. The bridge in North Carolina is expected to last 50 years.

In addition to the minimal maintenance, Axion's construction costs are similar to that of timber bridges.

"It's less expensive to build than its alternatives," said Hamrick.

This is the first of three bridges, the second already has been load-tested and construction of the third bridge will begin in about a month.

The new thermoplastic composite bridge, which is 51 feet long, is replacing a bridge that was only one-third the length of the thermoplastic bridge and rotting due to corrosion. It could hold only 4.3 tons of military equipment.