Smart-bridge technology could mean cheaper, safer infrastructure

Construction Canada reported on research from UBC’s Okanagan campus that discovered smart memory alloys are a safer and more cost-effective alternative to steel reinforced concrete bridges in earthquake-prone areas like the Lower Mainland.

“More than 100 steel reinforced concrete bridges had to be completely demolished and rebuilt after the Kobe earthquake in Japan in 1995, even though they were still standing,” said Shahria Alam, a professor of engineering at UBCO.