Granite Pedestrian Bridge, Beppu, Japan

The city of Beppu, on the northeast coast of Kyushu Island, Japan, is famous for its hot springs and scenic beauty. To provide access across a river to a park, the city commissioned a pedestrian bridge. The bridge spans 34 m, and its scenic location, commanding an open view of Beppu Bay and nearby mountains, made aesthetic considerations paramount. In discussions with officials, it was noted that Beppu has a sister city in China, Yantai, which produces a granite of excellent quality that Beppu has used for sidewalks. Laboratory tests confirmed that Yantai granite was sufficiently strong and stiff for structural purposes. Thus, the decision was made to use the granite for the upper chord of the bridge.