Canada’s Deh Cho Bridge wins 2013 IBC award

Deh Cho Bridge (Photo: Dan Newcomb Photography / Flickr)Deh Cho Bridge (Photo: Dan Newcomb Photography / Flickr)

The Deh Cho Bridge in Canada, one of the world’s longest, continuous superstructures, received the Gustav Lindenthal Medal at the 2013 International Bridge Conference (IBC).

The annual award, sponsored by Bayer MaterialScience LLC, recognizes recent outstanding achievements in bridge engineering. The bridge that receives the medal must demonstrate technical and material innovation and success, as well as gain positive community participation, display aesthetic merit and achieve harmony with the environment.

Steven Sternberger, head of Industrial Marketing, Coatings, Adhesives & Specialties at Bayer MaterialScience, presented the award to representatives of Infinity Engineering Group, Ruskin Construction and the government of the Northwest Territories of Canada at the awards dinner reception Tuesday night.

The 3,430-foot span is the first bridge ever built over the Mackenzie River, Canada’s longest river. In addition to replacing ferry and ice road services, the bridge features expansion joints only at its abutments and was designed to be durable and easy to inspect and maintain. Additionally, use of innovative design methods such as ecological lightweight bridge design, Fuse Design Philosophy and Failure Mechanism Concept resulted 20-percent cost savings for steel used and 30-percent savings for concrete used.

For more information about the Gustav Lindenthal Medal and other IBC awards, visit  eswp.com/bridge/awards.