Smooth journeys below, seamless construction above

– how innovation is reshaping bridge construction

Some bridges, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Tower Bridge, are world-famous landmarks. Others go unnoticed in our daily lives, yet they play a vital role in maintaining infrastructure. When it comes to building or replacing them, engineers face a familiar challenge: how to deliver durable results without causing major traffic disruption. The goal? Shorter construction times, reduced costs, minimal interference, and long-lasting quality. One project that meets these demands is the Thulba Viaduct, a new composite steel bridge built to replace an ageing structure. 

To keep traffic flowing, construction has been split into two phases. First, one half of the new bridge is built. Once complete, traffic will be redirected onto it, enabling the original 50-year-old bridge to be dismantled and the second half to be constructed in its place. Once finished, the new viaduct will span 460 metres and rise 53 metres above the ground. The contractor Adam Hörnig Baugesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (AHA), has already delivered the first segment. However, they have taken a bold step forward for the second segment by opting for an innovative solution from PERI: the VARIOKIT Composite Track (VCT). This pioneering approach has already earned AHA the bauma Innovation Award 2025 in the 'Construction' category.

What are the advantages of PERI's solution?

In the construction of steel composite bridges, formwork carriages are traditionally used that run atop the steel structure to cast the carriageway slab using in-situ concrete. However, this method comes with several drawbacks. Since the formwork carriages operate on top of the steel structure, welded brackets are required to support and guide their movement. These remain in the concrete and reduce the quality and service life of the carriageway slab. In addition, a formwork carriage travelling on top is also an obstacle during reinforcement work; even during concreting, such a carriage is disruptive. This is precisely where the VCT Composite Track demonstrates its strengths and why AHA was convinced that the PERI innovation offered the right solution for the second stage of the project.

"The cantilever system gives us the opportunity to move the industry forward. It offers a fast, flexible and sustainable solution - without the limitations of conventional formwork carriages." - Peter Wagner, Division Manager, Adam Hörnig Baugesellschaft mbH & Co. KG 

  • Peter Wagner
    Division Manager, Adam Hörnig Baugesellschaft mbH & Co. KG

    The cantilever system gives us the opportunity to move the industry forward. It offers a fast, flexible and sustainable solution - without the limitations of conventional formwork carriages

What characterises the system in practice is it’s flexability. Thulba Bridge and offers a high degree of safety for all involved. The VCT system runs underneath the steel structure. The suspension points along the steel structure can be planned flexibly and adapted to possible interference points, allowing the solution to be planned precisely for the Thulba Bridge. 

 

The flexibility is also evident in the fact that the cantilever track can be positioned at any point for concreting. The pilgrim step method is also possible with VCT, meaning that sections that have already been concreted can be easily driven under in both directions. 

The solution that runs underneath, creates a workplace that is freely accessible from above. This means that reinforcement work, as well as the concreting of the carriageway slab, can be carried out more quickly and to a higher standard. This results in shorter cycle times, reduced construction periods and lower emissions – as the structure can be opened to traffic more quickly, and shorter construction times lead to reduced congestion.

As concrete penetrations are a thing of the past with the VCT Composite Track, the quality of the carriageway slab is also improved. Cracks are avoided, and the resulting structures are defined by a longer service life.

  • Stefan Pfister
    Product Manager at PERI

    With VCT, we build faster, better and more sustainably - thanks to the absence of penetrations in the carriageway slab in a quality that was not possible before.

The example of the Thulba viaduct shows how expertise, product development and project realisation go hand in hand through innovative solutions, partnership-based exchange and a willingness to embrace new ideas – and how this leads to genuine progress for the construction industry.

  • Moritz Baur
    Product Manager at PERI SE 

    With the VARIOKIT VCT Composite Track, we have created a solution that not only speeds up the construction process but also enables maximum precision and quality. The bauma Innovation Award is a great acknowledgement for us - and at the same time an incentive to think ahead in bridge construction. Together with Adam Hörnig GmbH, we are setting an example for sustainable construction processes and look forward to using the system in many more projects.

New projects are not long in coming. The VCT is already being used for the construction of another bridge in Croatia. With its ability to significantly increase speed and quality in the construction of steel composite bridges, the Composite Track is setting new standards and driving the construction industry forward - regardless of whether the bridges become iconic landmarks or simply play their part in keeping infrastructure running smoothly. 

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