Sustainability and Visual Considerations for Footbridges Designed with Stainless Steel

Despite the impact that stainless steel has had in the architecture, industrial applications and multitude of consumer products for more than 50 years, its presence in civil engineering structures is recent. Some interesting structures, mainly pedestrian bridges, have been built in the last two decades. Stainless steel creates a light, strong, corrosion-resistant, and elegant structure with premium aesthetics. The extended structure life-cycle typically offsets the higher capital cost of stainless steel due to the increased corrosion resistance and reduced maintenance, which in turn reduces the overall cost of ownership. This represents a net advantage for the asset owner and improves safety and long-term durability. Stainless steel is recognized as a sustainable material with a lower environmental impact, lightweight construction, and low maintenance and deconstruction cost over the bridge lifespan. Stainless steel is one of the highest recycling rates of any material.

This paper provides an overview of the sustainability and visual considerations for footbridges designed with stainless steel through a recently built example: the Garrison Crossing in Toronto.

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