Hybrid steel and GFRP footbridges

The use of advanced materials allows building light, durable, stiff and elegant footbridges. While the construction cost with these materials may be sensibly higher than with conventional ones, this cost is typically offset by reduced maintenance.

In this paper are presented six footbridges which are part of two different projects: Vilafant HSR and T11 Highway. All the bridges were designed as hybrid steel-GFRP (glass fibre reinforced polymer) structures.

This document provides information on the design and construction processes of the footbridges, their static and dynamic behaviour and tests, and some aesthetic considerations.