On March 30, 2017, a major viaduct on Interstate 85 over Piedmont Road in Atlanta collapsed. It led to a massive transportation disruption, and utility services were cut off for a period of time.
The cause of the incident: a major human-caused fire that started in a section of the bridge that housed fiberoptic cable.
Did you know? Concrete begins cracking at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, suffers large cracks at 1,000 degrees, and melts at 2,500 degrees.
While the example in Atlanta is extreme, it does highlight a very real threat to the security of expensive utilities: man-made fires.
Man-caused fire damage to sensitive under-bridge utilities.
Fires started underneath bridges from camps or arsonists can easily heat through and destroy the protective housing around utilities, leading to huge repair costs.
Thankfully, there is a relatively easy solution to preventing fire damage to bridge utilities.
First Line Fire Blankets: For Bridges, Tunnels & Public Utility Applications
First Line fire blanket installed under a bridge with a protective PUB system.
First Line fire blankets are a great way to protect bridges and related infrastructure, including power cables, transmission lines, and gas pipelines, against fire damage. These high-tech blankets withstand exposure to catastrophic flames up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
They are manufactured out of a densely-woven E-glass fiber that is resistant to thermal conductivity and provides significant insulation against extreme heat. The rubberized coating on these blankets is completely flameproof and waterproof. The coating, formulated by Insulflex, turns into a titanium silicate refractory crust upon exposure to extreme flame – creating an impenetrable, flame-proof barrier.
This type of protection is particularly valuable in areas that are easily accessible to humans, wildfires, or accidents.
Our highly-trained team members install this type of fire protection all across the country. Once the fire blanket is in place, we install our PUB (Protection Under Bridge) systems which protect the investment long-term and prevent any tampering.
Contact Bridge Masters to have this extraordinary level of fire protection installed on your next project.
