Sandwich Plate System Bridge Deck

Sandwich Plate System Deck

The Sandwich Plate System (SPS), from SPS Technology, is a structural composite material comprising two metal plates bonded with a polyurethane elastomer core.

Sandwich Plate System Bridge Deck

Sandwich Plate System Bridge Deck. Photo credit ASCE

In a press-brake-formed steel tub girder (PBTG) bridge, SPS is a thin lightweight deck that can be bolted to the girder in the fabrication shop. Guardrails can be added there, making it a modular unit that can be quickly assembled at the job site.

The Cannelville Road Bridge in Muskingum County, Ohio was the second PBTG structure to be completed in the United States, and the first to use the SPS deck.

The Roseville Bridge, Ohio, won the National Steel Bridge Alliance Award in 2020.  The 52’ 6” bridge, with a 100 year service life, was successfully installed in just 26 days. With an integrated SPS bridge deck, this two vehicle lane modular prefabricated bridge, arrived on site on two trucks. Each section was located onto the abutments in just 10 minutes. The bridge was funded by the FHWA AID program, the aim of which, was to identify a competitive alternative superstructure to address their aging bridge inventory.

*Photo Credit: SPS Technology

Download this slide deck for additional details on using SPS decks for accelerated bridge applications.

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