Polish experience with network arch bridges using cold-bent HD sections

This article presents Polish experience with the design and construction of net-arch bridges using cold-bent HD sections in the arch. So far, four road bridges have been built, and they are currently in service. The experience gained and the positive economical footprint is leading to a growth in the popularity of this solution, together with much better recognition of the technology on the market. One of the first net-arch bridges using cold-bent HD beams was built in Poland in 2011. The arch has a span of 75 m. The composite deck is constructed from HE sections, which are suspended from the arches. One bridge built recently has a span of 120 m. Several other bridges are at the design or erection phase, in particular, the first railway net-arch bridge with nine independent decks and a maximum span of 116 m. The aim of this paper is to familiarize the reader with the technical solution developed and present the economic background and, specifically, to focus on the fabrication of cold-bent HD-section steel arch structures as a new task in engineering.