The 560 foot long Knickerbocker Bridge, in Boothbay, Maine, will be rebuilt in 2010 using a new composite-concrete technology tested in the AEWC laboratories (left) and commercialized by HC Bridge Maine, a subsidiary of Harbor Technologies.

The HC Beam consists of a lightweight advanced composite beam form that is filled with concrete on site - a concrete arch in a plastic case. Benefits of the HC Beam include: lighter weight than conventional beams; corrosion resistance; simplicity in design; easily mass produced; can sustain 3.5 its load capacity - compared to the standard target of 2.5; and it saves 15% on the cost of construction.