Axion International (AXIH) Has Engaged Leading Infrastructure Engineering Firm Parsons-Brinckerhoff to Create a Design Guide Designs Will Be Written to Provide Architects, Engineers, Designers and Builders Information on How to Use Axion’s Construction Systems for Short-Span Heavy-Load Infrastructure Applications
NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Axion International (OTCBB: AXIH.OB - News), a leader in recycled plastic and plastic composite technologies used to produce ECOTRAX™ rail ties and STRUXURE™ building products, announced today that the company has engaged with international engineering and construction conglomerate, Parson Brinckerhoff, to create a Design Guide. The guide is intended to provide data required by users in the design and construction of short span bridges using Axion’s STRUXURE™ products and Construction Systems as alternatives to legacy building materials for heavy-load bridge applications.
The Design Guide will provide information about the strength and durability for heavy-load infrastructure applications for Axion’s unique products – and about how designs can be pre-fabricated by Axion and shipped directly to project sites anywhere in the world. This Design Guide will make it easier for engineers to use Axion’s sustainable I-beams, pilings, planks and various sized product for their infrastructure construction projects.
“It is impressive what Axion has accomplished in proving that this technology works in multiple short-span applications,” stated Axion Executive Vice President, Dave Crane. “However, in order to mass market these building products to the short-span bridge market we’ve got to provide engineered guidance. The Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Inventory Database states almost 80,000 bridges are considered functionally obsolete and more than 70,000 are structurally deficient in the U S. We’re making the capabilities and specifications of our STRUXURE™ recycled composite Construction Systems available to builders seeking new, sustainable products. We anticipate that once engineers, construction firms and industry experts are educated to the advantages of our STRUXURE™ products, they’ll realize the actual cost-savings from the original start of construction through the full life-cycle of these structures. We’re creating this Design Guide to specifically address the short-span vehicular bridge applications of 25’ and less in length and we intend to target municipal, state and county bridge applications as well as private applications such as park and recreation and mixed residential/industrial complexes. Future Design Guides will address other infrastructure building needs.”
“In December 2011 the first STRUXURE™ bridge located in the U.S. highway system was opened in the State of Maine,” stated a senior professional associate of Parsons Brinckerhoff, Dr. John Kim. “This bridge was designed to carry the current AASHTO live load. On this bridge, for the first time in the world, the abutments and wingwalls are also made of Axion’s STRUXURE™. I believe this new Design Guide will make STRUXURE™ more attractive to bridge owners because it will significantly save design expenses.”
Axion’s STRUXURE™ building materials were created as a sustainable alternative to legacy building materials like wood, steel and concrete. STRUXURE™ Construction Systems provide excellent structural performance, offer lower life-cycle costs (including competitive first time installation costs and far less maintenance costs) and tangible superiority in terms of sustainability. STRUXURE™ is a more durable, longer lasting, environmentally sound and lighter heavy-load building material and it is fully recyclable at the end of its life cycle. Construction costs can be lowered and maintenance costs can be virtually eliminated. Components can be pre-fabricated by Axion and shipped to installation sites for quick application. |
