ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products

Online client newsletter | December 2019

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Bridging the gap

Award-winning InQuik system uses Magnelis® to install innovative bridges quickly

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Australian company InQuik has developed a unique method of building bridges which can be implemented quickly using only low-skilled labour. The globally patented technology utilises Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products to create the formwork of a bridge. That is then filled with concrete to create the bridge deck. Although the bridges are designed for a service life of 100 years, experts believe that the use of Magnelis® could double that without the need for significant maintenance. The innovative design of the InQuik system was recognised when it won the 2019 T.C. Graham Prize from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).

Magnelis® provides long-term strength

A key challenge was to identify a good material for the formwork which holds the concrete until it dries completely. “At first we thought about using galvanised steel, but over time this will rust and fall away,” says Logan Mullaney, managing director of InQuik Bridging Systems. “While the formwork is sacrificial, we realised that the sight of corroding metal would reduce user confidence in the bridge and increase the amount of maintenance required. We needed a more durable solution.”

InQuik was introduced to Magnelis® through a contact in Australia. “Magnelis® allows us to leave the formwork of the bridge in place as it has an aesthetically pleasing finish – and it is durable,” says Logan Mullaney.



Confidence in quality

The Magnelis® formwork helps to contain plasticisers and water-soluble chemicals which occur in the concrete. Magnelis® ensures the preservation of natural resources as it uses significantly less zinc than pure zinc coatings. Zinc runoff is also reduced dramatically compared to galvanised steels.

“Magnelis® is not well known in Australia and we are one of the only companies utilising it,” notes Logan Mullaney. “But ‘Made in Europe’ is a quality label for Australian companies. Together with the fact that ArcelorMittal is the largest steelmaker in the world, this gives our customers – and bridge users – confidence in the system.”

Magnelis® in the formwork of the InQuik bridge system

The components of the bridge are prefabricated in the factory to reduce disruption on-site

For a small bridge, the deck trays and abutments can be transported in a single semi-trailer load

Once on-site, components can be lifted into place with a crane



Once the bridge structure is in place, the concrete is poured – a few days later the bridge is open to traffic

The InQuik system is ideal for both short and long road crossings

Portable technology can be deployed globally

Compared to a conventional reinforced concrete bridge, the InQuik system is up to 90 percent more steel-intensive. However, the bridges are more cost-effective as they can be prefabricated and installation time is significantly lower explains Logan Mullaney: “InQuik bridges are standardised, pre-certified, and can be mass-produced. And it is possible to transport an entire bridge on one semi-trailer. You just back the truck up to the site, install the components, and then fill them with concrete. Customers typically save between 20 and 50 percent compared to a conventional bridge due to the lower installation time and work, low risk, and less cranage.”



Bruce & Logan Mullaney (in the middle),
receiving the T.C. Graham Prize from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST)
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