Steel strands for cable stayed bridges

Cable-stayed bridges are exposed to extreme loads, continuous fatigue, and demanding environmental conditions. Our strand solutions are specifically engineered to meet these challenges, combining super high tensile strength with multilayer corrosion protection — zinc or Bezinal®3000, wax, and HDPE sheathing. Designed for a 100-year service life, they deliver long-term safety and provide confidence that your bridge will perform reliably for decades.

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Performance you can rely on

Multilayer corrosion protection

The strands benefit from a robust three-layer corrosion protection system:

Metallic coating - The primary barrier is provided by a standard zinc coating (190–350 g/m²), which can be further enhanced with our high-performance Bezinal®3000 metallic layer (95% Zn, 5% Al) for superior corrosion resistance.
Wax - A premium, water-resistant wax layer adds mechanical stability and extra protection under all conditions.
HDPE sheathing - A durable pure polyethylene sheath (1.5 mm standard, customizable) shields the strands from both mechanical and environmental stress.

Robust fatigue resistance

Our HDPE-extruded cable stay strands are engineered to meet the highest fatigue standards, passing Fib and PTI design tests, including 2 million pull-pull cycles. Their performance has been verified through multistrand fatigue testing at leading laboratories in Braunschweig, Bochum, Munich, Vienna, and CTL, ensuring long-lasting safety and helping reduce total cost of ownership.

In collaboration with BBR, we also set a world record with 151 strands tested in TU Vienna — without a single wire failure. These results demonstrate exceptional reliability, robust performance, and confidence for decades of service.

151 stay cable strands of 15,7 mm diameter, forming the full tendon
2mil LC at 200 MPa stress range
Followed by a tensile test reaching 100% GUTS ( 42,129 kN )

Ultra high strength

Our ultra-high tensile (UHS) wires — developed from decades of experience — push performance further. With strengths up to 2160 MPa and high ductility, they combine exceptional breaking load and fatigue resistance.

Fewer strands, smaller anchorages, and lower wind drag mean faster installation, reduced structural complexity, and a lower carbon footprint — without compromising safety or durability. UHS stay cable strands can be used for long span cable stay bridges, extradosed bridges, and other cable-supported structures

Download our UHS Stay cable strands datasheet

Consistent quality, every step of the way

Technical expertise

Our in-house experts bring together extensive technical knowledge and real-world project experience, managing the most challenging cable-stay projects worldwide — from initial concept through to installation..

By applying global standards such as PTI (DC45.1-18) and fib Bulletin 89, we ensure every project meets the highest levels of safety, reliability, and performance.

High service flexibility

Performing all production steps in-house — from wire drawing to extrusion and packaging — allows us to maintain consistent quality and reliability at every stage. Our state-of-the-art machinery allows us to scale production for even the largest projects while reducing time, cost, and material waste.

We can supply volumes of up to 4.5 tons per coil, and for installation convenience, master strands are delivered in precisely marked lengths. Every master strand is produced to exceptionally tight tolerances of up to 0.005% — equivalent to just 5 mm over 100 m — ensuring accuracy and ease of use on-site.

Efficiency without surprises thanks to our long track record

We have a proven track record in delivering wire, strand, and cable solutions for diverse engineering structures.

Our super high tensile wire has demonstrated outstandingperformance in demanding applications — from deep-water mooring systems to iconic stay cable bridges.

Queensferry Crossing, Scotland

Anji Khad, India

Thu Thiem II Bridge, Vietnam

Sheikh Jaber bridge, Kuwait

Understanding the impact behind every strand

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

Bekaert Environmental Product Declaration is a comprehensive report disclosing the environmental impacts of a product over its cradle-to-gate life cycle. This declaration is the Type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) based on EN 15804:2012+A1 and verified according to ISO 14025 by an external auditor.

What does it mean?

To produce 1 kg of HDPE sheathed galvanized and waxed stay cable strand in our plant in Slovakia, below values of CO₂are emitted into the atmosphere:

A1 raw material 0.671 kg CO₂
A2 transport to Bekaert 0.000655 kg CO₂
A3 manufacturing process 0.329 CO₂

Why is the this declaration important?

to understand carbon footprint of the cable stay strand in general
this declaration is often required by end users
it helps you to calculate the CO₂ footprint of a particular structure

Applications

Advantages

100 year service-life
Short-time delivery of large volumes
Marked-to-length master strands for easier installation
High service flexibility