The Heppinger Bridge replaces a historic stone bridge, which was almost completely destroyed by the 2021 Ahr flood. The restoration of the structure over the Ahr is an important step in rebuilding the infrastructure in the area that was particularly hard hit by the flood.
The modern design features a single-span beam with broken haunches that spans 60 meters over the Ahr. The integral structure consists of a steel box girder clamped into the abutments and a composite concrete slab. The supporting structure is made of weathering steel, so that no additional coating is necessary.
By clamping the girder into the abutments, the Ahr can be spanned without supports and the construction height in the middle of the bridge can be minimized to ensure the largest possible free flow cross-section of the Ahr. In addition, the haunches are open at the point where the abutments are fixed, increasing the flow cross-section. This allows water to drain away more easily in the event of flooding. The new structure thus meets all the requirements for the adapted flood protection in the Ahr valley.
