A marine bridge is a structure on open water for loading and unloading goods and people from boats or barges. A marine bridge needs to be able to withstand the corrosive effects of saltwater and the wear from being in a wet environment.
Most marine bridges are used for utilitarian purposes and are therefore designed to be simple but durable. If a bridge is needed to connect a house or a warehouse to a dock, a simple marine bridge will do the job. Marine bridges can also be more elaborate and decorative, for example, if one was needed at a boat landing for a tourist destination.
The most important characteristic of a marine bridge is that it needs to be able to withstand corrosive environments. Unless it is highly filtered, water in general is corrosive because it can carry various contaminants and impurities that negatively affect most metals. Salt water amplifies this effect. For this reason, marine bridges are almost exclusively made out of aluminum.
What are the applications for marine bridges?
The vast majority of marine bridges are manufactured out of aluminum as this metal best resists the corrosive effects of saltwater and a humid environment. Aluminum is also relatively easy to maintain and is resistant to the harmful effects of salt water.
A marine bridge tends to be made wholly out of aluminum. This includes the decking, the structure, and the railings. Aluminum is extremely durable and has a favorable weight to strength ratio. A marine bridge made out of aluminum will stay cool to the touch even in the heat of summer. If the marine bridge is in a climate that receives snow, aluminum is also a great material because it is strong enough to support heavy snow loads. Marine bridges made from aluminum are more cost efficient, more durable, and will last longer than marine bridges made out of wood, plastic composite, or steel.
Marine bridges are used for private docks, boat landings, loading and unloading for industrial uses, and many other applications. Because a marine bridge is located on and in the water, the design and engineering of the bridge has to take into consideration constraints like currents, tides, and marine safety requirements.
What do I need to know to have my marine bridge designed and built?
Maintenance on marine bridges is a costly and time consuming activity that can be drastically reduced or in some cases eliminated by using a Bridge Brothers marine bridge. With our marine bridges, your crews can keep working with zero interruptions using marine bridges that are built to last. When designing a marine bridge, we know you are trying to be cost conscious. Likewise, it makes sense to consider the lifetime maintenance of a marine bridge. Choosing a custom prefabricated marine bridge made from corrosion-resistant aluminum will ensure that your marine bridge is delivered quickly and inexpensively. This type of marine bridge will require little maintenance due to the material and due to the fact that a prefabricated bridge is more well-built than one welded on site.
Bridge Brothers prefabricates our marine bridges off site in manufacturing facility where we can control the quality of the bridge. Assembling and welding in a controlled environment ensures the quality of the connection. Because marine bridges tend to be located in harsher site conditions, it is important that this bridge is able to withstand anything nature throws at it.
Using a prefabricated marine bridge doesn’t mean that you are limited to pre-constructed and pre-designed pieces. Each marine bridge is custom designed and engineered for the site and use. Prefabrication simply helps control the quality of construction and helps make sure that the installation time is short and that the installation is as painless and simple as possible. It is much more desirable to assemble a custom marine bridge on site than have to weld in the field.
Installing a marine bridge in or over a body of water can be tricky. Prefabrication can help make this process easier and less complicated. The marine bridge is prefabricated off site either as one bridge or in pieces that are assembled on site. This cuts down on installation costs and time. You should also have a marine bridge designer that knows about all the laws and regulations surrounding marine bridges. For example, in a marsh application, there are local and federal laws that have to be adhered to. Bridge Brothers is knowledgeable on the subject.
Another important element of marine bridges is the foundation and site work. In many instances the foundations holding up the bridge are either underwater or in poor-quality soil such as wet clay or sand. Therefore, it is imperative that you have a site engineer on your team to make sure that the bridge is installed safely and securely. Bridge Brothers offers such services as part of our promise for turn-key delivery.
How can Bridge Brothers help me with my marine bridge?
Any time you need to access something on or near water, consider an aluminum prefabricated marine bridge. Bridge Brothers has designed, manufactured, and installed a variety of marine bridges both large and small. Our prefabricated aluminum marine bridges have several advantages, including low cost, high quality fabrication, and quick and low-impact installation. Bridge Brothers knows you need your marine bridge delivered fast, therefore our company has processes in place to quickly move your marine bridge through the design, engineering, manufacturing and installation phases. Bridge Brothers offers turn-key prefabricated marine bridges of enduring strength and durability.
Because marine bridges are often installed in lakes, waterfronts or other areas with complicated site conditions, installation can be tricky. Bridge Brothers has experience in marine bridge installation. We will prepare the site conditions for the bridge, design the marine bridge structure so that it is light weight and easy to assemble on site, and then install it. If the marine bridge is located on an existing job site, we will work around site constrains and work schedules.
There are a large number of variables involved in designing marine bridges for new or existing sites. Bridge Brothers has experience with designing, engineering, and installing marine bridges in a variety of locations. We can help you make the decision on what marine bridge configuration will work best for your site based on cost, style and environmental compatibility.
