Wooden bridge Älvsbacka

The Älvsbacka Bridge in Skellefteå is one of many pedestrian bridges constructed by Martinsons since the end of the 1980s. The enviromental benefits frome construction in wood is just one of many. Wooden pedestrian bridges have many advantages over other bridge types: High level of prefabrication – Fast assembly times – Minimal inconvenience to traffic with bridge spanning a road – Low costs for transport and laying the foundation – Documented quality and service life – Competitive prices

The market for bridges is currently undergoing a change, with wood becoming a more accepted alternative in the choice of building materials. The wooden bridges of today offer the same standard of performance and technical lifespan as bridges made of steel and concrete, both in the form of pedestrian bridges and as advanced overpasses designed to accommodate heavy vehicle traffic.

Luleå University of Technology is also involved in the construction of this bridge and nowadays there is a ongoing research program studying the behaviour of the wood under the influence of the extreme climate of the region using different sensors installed in the bridge.