Tendons made of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) can be used for the prestressing of concrete bridges. Such tendons can be highly tensioned, they do not rust or fatigue, and they are very lightweight. Their application can lead to more sustainability and elegance in bridge construction, as they allow for slimmer cross-sections and at the same time increase durability. In this paper, first the status of carbon concrete research at the TU Berlin and the state of the art in bridges with carbon
elements is presented. The main focus is then shifted to questions of warning to failure and the cross-sectional design of components with prestressed and non-prestressed carbon reinforcement. Finally, the design of a prototype integral frame bridge made at the TU Berlin with precast CFRP posttensioned girders is presented.