A heavy load timber bridge has been installed as part of a new sustainable building development in the Netherlands. The development cost Euro 10 million and has taken 13 years to complete.
The bridge, built by Accsys Technologies and using a high technology timber is 16 meters high and can support 60 tonnes of weight.
The route the bridge is built on runs alongside a canal network between lakes in an area of outstanding beauty. This means that the bridge and development was required to be sympathetic to the natural surroundings as well as comply with stringent environmental stipulations.
The wood, trade name Accoya, is a non-toxic, high performance timber sourced from sustainable, fast-growing FSC and PEFC approved forests.
The wood has significant environmental advantages over slow-growing hardwoods or softwoods modified with toxic chemicals.
It is particularly suited to outside constructions where durability and dimensional stability are a high priority and its colour does not degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light. The wood has applications in other industries such as boat building and building construction.
