The University of Maine's AEWC Advanced Composites Center has been know to do some exciting things. Back in February of this year, they announced they were spinning off a company for a composites technology called, "Bridge in a Backpack." Not entirely sure how it works, but it seems they are using hollow tubes and inflating a sort of bladder, curing in place, and later filling with concrete, thus making a structural bridge. Time savings and shipping/logistics savings are a likely draw. Read some more info here.
This new company called, "Advanced Infrastructure Technologies," is planning to build bridges for the Maine Department of Transportation, and it seems the U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is giving them a visit this week. Read the announcement here.
Photo Credit (not a composite bridge): Big D2112 via flicker
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