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The emphasis in bridge design and construction technology in the UK has shifted in recent decades towards improved durability and quick construction, with whole life cost and low maintenance gradually becoming as important as initial capital cost. In conjunction with this, reduced disruption to the travelling public has become more important due to general increased travel and congestion on roads and railways. The combination of these two factors was a primary driver in the development of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite bridge technology, which can provide improved durability and also reduced time of in-situ construction due to large, lightweight components being manufactured off-site (modular construction) and installed simply and quickly. The growth in the application of FRP bridges in the UK is described and highlighted with a number of representative case studies, generally showing the benefits of this technology in reducing whole life cost and disruption to the public. The future work required to further enable the development of FRP bridge technology is described, with the aim of FRP bridges becoming a mainstream competitor to other bridge materials and technologies.

Different structures can exhibit very different characteristics in terms of embedded carbon dioxide emissions. It is therefore important that the carbon accumulation of a particular type of structure over its intended service life is properly understood before targeted measures can be taken to reduce any adverse effects. For the same type of infrastructure, considerations may vary markedly for different types of work. Within the bridge engineering sector, fibre-reinforced polymer deck has been increasingly used in deck replacement applications. However, study on its environmental performance is limited. This paper considers a typical UK highway bridge deck replacement project and evaluates two different options, including the fibre-reinforced polymer option, in carbon terms. In order to provide more general information to bridge engineers, the bridge is assumed to carry an ‘average’ volume of traffic across the highway network where it is most likely to be present. Both the embodied carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions from future maintenance activities are considered. Since traffic diversion can only be considered on a project-by-project basis, parametric study is carried out to further investigate its effects. Based on the results, good practices are identified to enable engineers to reduce their carbon dioxide footprint. Uncertainties and limitations of the results are also discussed.

There has been growing interest in the use of non-conventional materials in the construction industry, and their introduction has presented both opportunities and challenges to researchers and engineers worldwide. This paper gives a brief overview of new and emerging materials in construction. The background to their introduction is introduced and discussed within the context of sustainable construction, with the significance of sustainable material selection highlighted. Attention is specifically drawn to the importance of considering both the cost and environmental implications when any new material is introduced into construction. The main barriers to application of new materials within the construction industry are discussed in detail with reference to the development of an advanced composite bridge decking system. Based on this, a successful model for conversion from academic excellence to commercial viability is suggested.

There is constant pressure for the civil engineering industry to keep improving its cost efficiency. In the meantime, the industry has to operate within an increasingly stringent policy and regulatory environment, more recently driven by the growing commitment to sustainable development. To overcome these challenges often requires more effective collaboration between professionals from different disciplines and wider stakeholder engagement in general. This paper focuses on the bridge engineering sector in the UK and identifies the main areas for improvement in the project delivery process, especially where effective collaboration can play a significant role. The increasing need for effective engagement of the affected community is highlighted and its implications for practising engineers are discussed. Key factors to enable effective collaboration in practice are then considered, with particular attention given to effective community engagement, after which the benefits of effective collaboration and community engagement are demonstrated by way of examples. Attempts are made to highlight some unique challenges brought about for engineers in practice by the implementation of sustainability principles. Key skills are identified to enable engineers to contribute to more sustainable bridge delivery. In order for their actions to be most effective, the development of applications-oriented, bridge-project-specific, best practice guides is proposed.

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