The Gateway Upgrade Project, to duplicate a motorway bridge across the Brisbane River in Australia’s Queensland, will use duplex LDX 2101® stainless steel reinforcement bar from Outokumpu. Being the largest road and bridge project in Queensland’s history, delivered by Queensland Motorways with design and construction by the Leighton Abigroup Joint Venture, Brisbane’s six-lane Gateway Bridge will be duplicated as part of the Gateway Upgrade Project. Looking to the future, the new bridge will have a design life of 300 years. To ensure such a long lifespan, the bridge design specifies stainless steel reinforcement bar (rebar for short) in the most critical bridge structures: the splash zones of the two main river pylons. Leighton Abigroup Joint Venture approached Outokumpu as they were searching for a stainless rebar supplier. Based on knowledge of stainless rebar, the Joint Venture was looking for a product in the austenitic grade EN 1.4404 (ASTM 316L). Outokumpu’s Australian sales company suggested using duplex stainless steel of grade LDX 2101® instead. The corrosion resistance of this proprietary Outokumpu duplex grade is close to that of 1.4404. However, LDX 2101® does the task with very low nickel, making the duplex grade highly competitive to austenitic grades. For additional proof of the advisability of the Outokumpu concept, ASR Rod Mill sent a trial rebar coil to Atlas Specialty Metals in Melbourne for further processing to confirm that LDX 2101® coil could be easily straightened. As a result of the research and tests, the second Gateway Bridge is now under construction with LDX 2101® rebar. Outokumpu has supplied 28tns for the project to date, and further deliveries are scheduled for early 2008. The Gateway Upgrade Project is scheduled for completion in 2011.
