GS Engineering & Construction Develops Corrosion-Free, Stronger Modular Bridge Method

On the 2nd, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) conducted a structural performance test of modular bridge full-section precast concrete (PC) floor slabs. GS Construction

On April 14, GS Engineering & Construction announced that it has solved the greatest challenge of modular bridges—joint robustness—using Korea's first innovative composite material technology. Modular construction is a method in which most of the building process, including the basic framework and electrical wiring, is completed in the factory, and then the modules are assembled on-site like Lego blocks.

On April 2, GS Engineering & Construction conducted a public test and demonstration of technology at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), attended by related organizations and academic experts. The test involved a full-section precast concrete (PC) floor slab that uses glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC).

The core of this technology lies in the integration of the joints connecting the modules. Conventional PC floor slabs have long been plagued by chronic issues such as rebar corrosion and cracking at the joints. To address this, GS Engineering & Construction adopted glass fiber reinforced polymer, which is stronger than steel and does not rust, instead of steel rebar in the upper part of the floor slab. In addition, the company devised an innovative method that pours ultra-high-performance concrete, which is over four times stronger than regular concrete, into the joints.

Applying this method not only makes transportation and construction easier by reducing material weight, but also blocks corrosion caused by salt damage, cracks, and water leakage, thereby dramatically extending the maintenance lifespan of the bridge.

The public test results showed that the technology exceeded design standards. The modular full-section PC floor slab withstood an ultimate load approximately 1.6 times the design load, and passed two million cycles of fatigue testing simulating repeated vehicle loads, proving its structural reliability.

This technology, jointly developed by GS Engineering & Construction and its subsidiary GPC, has already been filed for two patents. Compared to the conventional on-site casting method, the construction period can be shortened by about 50%, and even compared to other PC methods, it can reduce costs by more than 5%, highlighting its economic benefits.

A GS Engineering & Construction official stated, "The key to modular bridge technology is ultimately the durability and integration of the joints, and this technology is significant because it achieves this perfectly with new materials. Starting in 2027, we aim to set the standard for off-site construction (OSC) in the market for replacing old bridges and building new ones through full-scale commercialization."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.