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The Freyssinet Group - 75 years of innovation & excellence
In this month’s Freyssinet Focus, we reflect on Freyssinet’s notable projects and the impact of its innovations over the last 75 years.
1940s
The Freyssinet Group originated in 1943, when renowned French construction engineer Edme Campenon joined forces with Eugène Freyssinet to utilise his patented processes – most notably Freyssinet’s concept of prestressing and his development of new technologies, such as flat jacks, prestressing tendons, concrete cone anchoring and tensioning jacks.
Known then as Societe Technique pour l’Utilisation de la Precontrainte or ‘STUP’, the company established the foundations of innovative technology and engineering which remains at the heart of all Freyssinet solutions today.
One of the first projects undertaken by STUP was the Luzancy Bridge (pictured below). Designed by Eugène Freyssinet, the 55-metre span structure was the first prestressed bridge to be built in France. It was constructed over the Marne River during the Second World War to replace a bridge that had been destroyed. Work on site was suspended until the war ended, and the build was completed in 1946.
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Work on the Esbly bridge in France followed, a 74-metre span built using the same design principles used for Luzancy Bridge. In Brazil, STUP built the Galion Bridge, one of the first bridge structures using prestressed beams.
As the 1940s drew to a close, the company started to branch out internationally, sending its engineers all over the world to promote the products and applications that were striking a chord in France.
1950s
In 1955, STUP designed three viaducts with a maximum span of 150 metres for the Caracas-La Guaira motorway in Venezuela. Significantly, the project also saw the innovative development of elastomeric and Neoprene bridge bearings.
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The company continued to demonstrate diversity in other areas, designing and constructing a striking 200-metre-long prestressed concrete nave for the underground Basilica of Saint Pius X in Lourdes in 1956 (pictured right).
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1960s
Sadly, both Eugène Freyssinet and Edme Campenon passed away in quick succession in 1962. Freyssinet in particular continued his technical inventiveness right up until his death at the age of 82; his legacy is preserved in the company to this day.
During the 1960s, the company continued to expand on it existing expertise and innovative spirit, taking on more ambitious projects around the world.
The decade saw the introduction of prestressed segments with combined joints and prestressing and reinforcement anchors. In 1966, the prestressed concrete deck of the Chillon viaduct in Switzerland was constructed using the precast segmental method - in what was an innovative method at the time, segments were picked up using a launching gantry and then lowered into place.
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Oléron Bridge (above) in France was built by STUP using the precast arch segmental construction method. When the bridge was opened in 1966, it was the longest bridge in the country at that time. In Egypt, the Abu Simbel temple was raised to protect it from the rising waters of the newly constructed Aswan Dam using Freyssinet flat jacks to support the new pillars.
1970s
In 1976, STUP became Freyssinet International.
Notable projects of the decade included the Ekofisk offshore oil platform, located in the North Sea; the first oil platform designed by Freyssinet and the first built using prestressed concrete, the construction of the Olympic Stadium Velodrome (below right) in Montreal in 1976 using a method of decentring by placing flat jacks at the four abutments, and the 320m span Brotonne Bridge (below left) in France, built in 1977 using the first Freyssinet stay cables.
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1980s
Ambitious international projects continued in the eighties, with the build of the prestressed superstructure Tancredo Neves Bridge, also known at the Fraternity Bridge (below) in Mexico. In Paris, the 300,000 tonne Grande Arche De La Defense was constructed on four Freyssinet bearings and prestressing works took place on three 80,000-m3 and four 50,000-m3 LPG tanks in Abu Dhabi.
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1990s
Technical development accelerated in the 1990s, with significant advances in the reinforcement and repair of structures. New innovations included the use of carbon fibre strengthening and validation tests for Transpec SHA dampers.
Some of the company’s most iconic projects took place during this time, such as the construction of Cardiff Millennium Stadium (pictured below), with the roof supported by four 80-metre masts and 18 stay cables. Freyssinet also carried out considerable repairs to the Channel Tunnel following a fire in 1996.
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2000s
The new millennium saw Freyssinet secure its position as a world leader in the construction of cable stayed bridges with projects such as My Thuan Bridge in Vietnam, the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge in Greece and the Millau Viaduct in France.
The company also expanded its products scope, creating the Freyssibar® range of prestressing bars.
In 2009, the Soletanche Freyssinet group was formed, joining Soletanche Bachy, Freyssinet, Terre Armee, Menard and Nuvia.
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2010s
Today, Freyssinet has over 8,500 employees and operates in 60 countries around the world. The company continues the spirit of innovation and specialist engineering established by its founder Eugène Freyssinet in the 1940s.
The last eight years in the UK alone has seen the company take on its most advanced, ambitious and innovative projects yet. Significant (and award-winning) projects have included the renovation and replacement of the post-tensioning system of Hammersmith Flyover in London, the complex refurbishment of Glasgow Subway tunnels and strengthening and repair works carried out on Gatwick Airport’s multi-storey car park.
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The development of products and application solutions has included:
- Free sliding bearings with anti-lift systems
- ElevArch®: a solution for the controlled jacking of masonry arched bridges
- ExoLeaf®: for the repair and strengthening of structures using Ultra High-Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete
Freyssinet remains a specialist of structural strengthening, concrete repair, expansion joints, prestressing and jacking, renowned for pushing the envelope of engineering technology.
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Freyssinet to host Birmingham seminar
with special guest Rob Bell
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Freyssinet is to host its annual seminar on engineering innovation and structural strengthening at Thinktank Science Museum in Birmingham on Thursday 18 October.
Following successful events in London, York and Glasgow in recent years, the Birmingham event will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Freyssinet and include a look at the impact of Freyssinet techniques over the last 75 years.
Special guest speaker for the event will be Rob Bell, an engineer, adventurer and television presenter of documentaries including The World’s Greatest Bridges and The Unstoppable Flying Scotsman. With a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, Rob has continued his love for science and engineering through his television work, while his adventurous pursuits, from running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, to rallying through the Sahara – have taken him to all corners of the planet.
Please find more information about the event here.
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Mathew achieves first-class honours degree!
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Freyssinet estimator Mathew Backhouse graduated from the University of Wolverhampton in September, receiving first-class honours for his degree in Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying.
Mathew’s manager Matthew Dronfield said: “I’m so pleased that Mathew’s hard work and determination has been realised following the completion of his degree. It’s not easy to study and work full-time, but to achieve such a high level of success is outstanding! Congratulations from all your colleagues at Freyssinet.”
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Freyssinet receives Constructionline Gold accreditation
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Freyssinet has successfully achieved Constructionline’s Gold (level 3) accreditation.
Freyssinet has been a member of Constructionline, the UK's leading procurement and supply chain management platform since 2009. The Gold level accreditation was introduced in September 2017, and goes beyond the requirements of BSI PAS91, ensuring compliance with modern legislation including environmental management, equality and diversity and anti-bribery and corruption. The professional standard also accommodates the growing need of both suppliers and buyers for third party governance and risk management.
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Engaging students at STEM event
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Freyssinet, Corrosion Control Services (CCSL) and Aquaforce Jetting joined forces for the Big Bang North West STEM event in Liverpool.
The Big Bang North West is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) celebration for primary and secondary school children, led by EngineeringUK. The event aims to inspire young people and enable them to discover exciting and rewarding STEM based careers, talk to business and industry experts and take part in fun, interactive activities. Full story here.
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Royal Opening for London Bridge Station
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London Bridge Station was reopened earlier this year by the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William after a five year, £1billion transformation by Network Rail, nearly doubling its passenger capacity and providing faster connections for passengers.
Freyssinet was enlisted by Principal Contractor Costain to supply bridge bearings and Shock Transmission Units (STUs) on the project. As much of the station is elevated on bridge structures, bearings were required to support the force and movement of each structure. Freyssinet supplied 428 bridge bearings in total- the CE marked products were designed and manufactured to BS EN 1337, and able to resist vertical forces of between 1000 and 5000kN. Read the full story here.
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This year Freyssinet's seminar will focus on engineering innovation, structural strengthening and the impact of Freyssinet techniques over the last 75 years.
Our guest speaker is Rob Bell, an engineer, adventurer and television presenter of documentaries including Channel 5’s The World’s Greatest Bridges and The Unstoppable Flying Scotsman.
Spaces are limited, please email clare.white@freyssinet.co.uk. The half-day event is free to delegates, and includes lunch and access to Thinktank Museum.
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Bridges Scotland 2018, Edinburgh - 31 October - 1 November
Freyssinet will exhibit at the two-day event at Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh. Visit www.road-expo.com to book.
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Highways UK, NEC, Birmingham - 7- 8 November
Join Aquaforce Jetting, Freyssinet's hydrodemolition specialist at Highways UK in Birmingham this November. Register for a free ticket at www.highways-uk.com
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4 North St Andrews Square, Edinburgh
ISG enlisted Freyssinet to create penetrations through post-tensionedconcrete slabs through the centre of the building to enable the construction of a new lift core.
Client: Knights Property Group
Work completed: February 2018
Read the case study here.
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Portsmouth International Ferry
Freyssinet was enlisted to carry out jacking and bearing replacement
on the roll-on/roll-off ramp at the Ferry Port.
Client: Portsmouth International Port
Principal Contractor: Freyssinet Limited
Works Commenced: November 2017
Read the case study here.
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