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A pedestrian bridge is designed to allow people to cross water or a geographical feature. When designing a pedestrian bridge, there are several classifications of pedestrian bridges that are utilized.
To help you understand the options available, Axcess breaks pedestrian bridges into four classifications:
- Truss bridges
- Beam bridges
- Suspension/cable-stayed bridges
- Arch bridges
There are many materials used to build a pedestrian bridge, depending on the span, setting, budget, and desired aesthetics. In this blog, we’ll look at the basic facts about each type of bridge to help you determine which option is right for your project.
Truss Bridges
Truss bridges are the workhorses of the pedestrian bridge market for a good reason. They have an extremely efficient engineered design for spanning a gap. Truss bridge designs can accommodate spans from 30 to 200 feet and just about any width. Construction material options include galvanized, painted, or weathered steel as well as fiberglass. Steel truss solutions can be a challenge to construct in remote locations because of the weight associated with these structures. Fiberglass offers significant weight advantages, but at a premium price.
Beam Bridges
Beam bridges are the most common pedestrian bridge design for spans up to 40 feet. These solutions use a structural element, such as wood or steel, underneath the bridge to span the load from abutment to abutment. They are typically cheaper than truss solutions, have shorter spans, and their price grows exponentially as the span increases. A beam bridge allows for numerous architectural design options for the railing because it is not a structural element of the bridge span, as with a truss bridge. These bridges typically must be set at a higher elevation than truss bridges because the structural beams are under the deck, whereas a truss bridge has the primary structure above the deck.
Suspension/Cable Stayed Bridges
A pedestrian suspension bridge (also called a cable stayed bridge) is very aesthetic and creates a signature look in any location. They are primarily used for very long spans that cannot be easily achieved with other bridge designs such as beam or truss bridges. This is because of the high cost associated with both the design and construction of these structures. The most economical use is for long spans (over 80 feet) in very remote locations. In these instances, suspension bridges may be the only viable design option. Otherwise, this bridge type is usually selected because the owner wants the particular aesthetic look and is willing to pay a premium for it.
Arch Bridges
Arch bridges have been in use for thousands of years and were the primary bridge design before the invention of steel and engineered wood products. An arch pedestrian bridge may have the arch structure above or below the bridge and is designed for spans from 20 to 50 feet. These solutions create a specific aesthetic that is desirable in certain circumstances. They are typically more expensive solutions than truss or beam bridge designs, unless there are specific hydrology or geotechnical concerns that an arch design can help navigate.
As you consider the bridge designs available, material options, and the cost of building a pedestrian bridge, please contact us at Axcess to discuss the possibilities. We hope to hear from you!
