KUSSER Graniteworks USA

Pedestrian Bridges Thin Structural Elements Stairways Galleries

Prestressed Granite

Pedestrian bridges in prestressed granite

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

2, 3 Gevelsberg, 2010 length: 19.40 m (63 8) plate thickness: 45 cm (1 6) safe load: 4.46 kN/m (93 psf)

design: rha reicher haase associierte GmbH, Aachen construction: Planungsgruppe Scheller, Niederkrchten

photos: Patrick Kirschhofer

1 Hildesheim, 2010 length: 15 m (49 3) plate thickness: 30 cm (11 3/4) safe load: 4.7 kN/m (93 psf) photo: Kirstin Knufmann

As part of the Urban Redevelopment West a 19.40 m long prestressed granite bridge was built in 2010 to connect the center of Gevelsberg directly with the new Ennepepark. The bridge construction was required to be lightweight and slender, without additional structural elements, in order to enhance the existing scale of the Ennepepark. At the same time

the bridge had to meet the requirements of the contracting authority in terms of cost and sustainability (care, maintenance and durability). The prestressed granite bridge from Kusser impressed the architects and the client not only because of the slenderness of its superstructure, but also because of its exceptional resistance to road salt, weathering and abrasion.

Construction principle

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

When prestressing the granite, steel strands running through the bridge are tensioned with a force matching the load to be expected, in order to compress the structure. The tensioned strands are fed through grease injected plastic ducts to provide protection against corrosion. A second strong

polyethylene tube provides additional protection against UV radiation and mechanical damage. Kusser quarries the light gray fine-grained granite used for prestressed granite bridges in the Bavarian Forest and processes it further in its own factory. This granite is very dense and in contrast to

concrete it neither shrinks nor expands, so that even after decades of service no cracks form in the structure, which would allow water to enter and cause damage. Besides the two polyethylene sheaths and the injection of grease, the dense granite becomes a fourth level of protection

against corrosive damage to the tensioning elements. Together with Zilch + Mller Ingenieure GmbH and the Institute for Building Materials Science at Munich University, extensive trials were undertaken in order to determine the safe values for the engineering and design of prestressed granite bridges.

Longitudinal section of a prestressed granite bridge

5 Konstanz, 2010 length: 8.2 m (26 11) Plate thickness: 15 cm (6) Planstatt Senner, berlingen

4 length: 16.1 m (53) plate thickness: 35 cm (1 02) safe load: 5 kN/ m (104 psf)

6 Span length: 3 m (10) Plate thickness: 4 cm (1 9/16) Safe load: 5 kN/ m (104 psf)

As a comparison: If not prestressed, a plate thickness of 15 cm (6) would be necessary for a span length of 3 m (10).

The granite used for the prestressed granite bridges has a very high compressive strength, several times more than C35/45 concrete, making it ideal for prestressing. Because its sand-blasted surface is so resistant to road salt, weathering and abrasion an additional top layer surface material is not required. The thickness of the superstructure is reduced not only because of the prestressing but also by the thickness of a pavement which is necessary with other bridge structures. The sand blasted surface of a prestressed granite bridge is excellent for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.

Unbeatable slenderness, consistency

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

Further prestressed granite bridges (without photos): 9 Kappelrodeck, 2009 length: 14.60 m (47 11) plate thickness: 32 cm (1 5/8) RS Ingenieure, Achern Stevenage, UK 2010 length: 14.35 m (47) plate thickness: 28 cm (11) HTA Landscape Design, London Neuhausen a. d. Fildern, 2010 bridge with glass balustrade length: 7.20 m (23 7 1/2) plate thickness: 20 cm (8) Cheret Bozic Architekten, Stuttgart Chicago, 2011 length: 5.48 m (18) plate thickness: 17.1 cm (6 3/4) design: Linnig Architecture

Foto: Kirstin Knufmann

7 Hildesheim, 2010 length: 15 m (49 3) plate thickness: 30 cm (11 3/4)

8 Augsburg, 2010 length: 7.10 m (23 3 1/2) plate thickness: 15 cm (6)

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10 Stuttgart, 2010 length: 9 m (29 1/2) plate thickness: 19 cm (7 1/2)

Foto: Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Tiefbauamt

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Fast and simple installation

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

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Specific values Density Compressive strength Compressive strength Flexural strength

48 frost-thaw cycles, 2% NaCl

Granite 2,660 kg/ m (166 lb/ ft) 214 N/ mm (31,038 psi) 177 N/ mm (25,672 psi) 11.3 N/ mm (1,639 psi)

Prestressed Granite
Granite is approx. as light as aluminium, 1/3 lighter than steel.

e.g. 95 N/ mm (13,779 psi)

Granite has a several times higher compressive strength than concrete, it is very frost and corrosion resistant. In this case the flexural strength increases nine fold when prestressed.

e.g. 95 N/ mm (13,779 psi)

In addition to their long service life and slenderness, prestressed granite bridges have short production and erection times. They are prefabricated at the factory and tested in accordance with the anticipated loads, so they can be erected on site in a few hours.

Kusser Graniteworks USA supplies prestressed granite bridges, stairs and elements as turn-key solutions from one source, including all necessary structural calculations, complete production and assembly.

11, 12 Rosenheim, 2007 length: 9.4 m (30 10) plate thickness: 25 cm (9 7/8) safe load: 5 kN/m (104 psf) + 5.5 tons in the midspan SEP Baur & Deby Architekten + Stadtplaner, Mnchen

Stress distribution
in bilaterally mounted granite plates If a load is applied on a granite plate, the element breaks as soon as the maximum flexural strength is reached. The high compressive strength potential remains unused (1). By centric prestressing (2) a compressive strength above the stress cross section builds up. The element can be extremely stressed without reaching the maximum tensile stress (3).

max. flexural strength

max. compressive strength

Fv

Fv

2 Prestressed granite plate without load

max. flexural strength

max. compressive strength

1 Granite plate with centric stress, break of element

max. flexural strength

max. compressive strength

Fv

Fv

3 Prestressed granite plate with centric load

flexural strength values

compressive strength values

flexural strength values

compressive strength values

Prestressed granite stairways and elements

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

KUSSER Graniteworks USA

Additional projects with prestressed granite: Column in the Michaelibad, a Munich public bath, Artist: Manfred Mayerle, Munich, 2001 Granite stairs and gallery, public capital and building department Ludwigsburg, Germany, 2004 Gallery, city hall Moosinning, Germany, 2003 Gallery and diving board in a private garden in Wiesbaden Bro fr Freiraumplanung, landscape architect Ulrike StryckHartmann, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2008

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6, 7 Prestressed granite stairs, PlusCity Shopping Center, Linz, Austria, 2004 8 Lichtblicke, Landesgartenschau 2007 (regional garden festival), Waldkirchen Landscape Architect: Barbara Rainer, Bernhard Dingler photo: B. Dingler 9 Axis of the Earth, Magdeburg, Germany, station forecourt, Scale: 1:1.000.000, artist: Timm Ulrichs, 1999 - weighing 10 tons and 12 m (40) long, the axis in prestressed Nero Assoluto is the main component of an accurate time clock (refer to Implementing Works of Art, page 6) 10 Flagpoles in prestressed granite, diameter 13 17 cm (5 7), height 9 m (30), 2004 11 three prestressed granite columns, office center, Suhl, Germany, artist: Manfred Mayerle, Munich, 2006

massive granite environmentally friendly corrosion resistant sustainable slender flexible light yet strong prefabricated quick installation

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Kusser Graniteworks USA Kusser FountainWorks 3109 East 4th Avenue Tampa, Florida 33605 813.248.3428 800.919.0080 fax 813.248.3671 kusser@kusserUSA.com www.kusserUSA.com Kusser Aicha Granitwerke Josef Kusser GmbH & Co.KG Dreiburgenstrae 5 94529 Aicha vorm Wald Germany Tel 0049 (0)8544 96250 Fax 0049 (0)8544 962590 E-Mail: kusser@kusser.com Internet: www.kusser.com

Kusser Graniteworks USA, with its division, Kusser Fountainworks, is a subsidiary company of Kusser Aicha Granitwerke a family business with almost a hundred years of history in the quarrying and processing of natural stone. It currently employs some 100 people. A longstanding tradition of exceptional craftsmanship, state-ofthe-art machinery maintained by the firms own specialists, and internal planning teams of technicians, engineers, and architects have helped establish Kusser as one of the worlds leading companies in the natural stone industry. In 1989 the first Kusser fountain was installed in the United States. Since 2004, the successful acquisition of the former US distributor has established Kusser Graniteworks USA as a permanent presence in the US market.

The following brochures provide more detailed information about Kusser products and services: - General company information Designing with natural stone - Natural stone for indoor spaces - Natural stone for the outdoors - Prestressed granite - Kusser Fountain SYSTEM - Fountain technology - Floating spheres/ objects - Implementing works of art

Kusser Graniteworks USA - Februar 2011