Trail Bridge Technology

Applicable / Utility
pedestrian trail bridges for river crossings, where there is no road.

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 Trail bridge
Trail bridge technology is a cost effective technology that
significantly enhances access to trade, markets, education,
health services and improves the livelihoods of rural, poor
peoples and thus contributes to poverty alleviation in Nepal.
• With lack of road access in past and present, foot bridge
technology carries a larger scope contributing to the
development of country.
• With the significant contribution from locals, NGOs and
INGOs like Helvetas Swiss Inter co-operation, trail bridge
construction in Nepal has got an importance

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 Bridge Technology
In terms of span

• Short Span Trail Bridge (SSTB) :

for span up to 120m.

• Long Span Trail Bridge (LSTB) :

for span more than 120m.

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In Terms of Bridge Type

Suspended Pratibha
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type Parajuli Suspension
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type
Steel Truss
for span up to 32m.

Standard
Design
-16m
- 20m
- 24m
- 28m
- 32m

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The selection of the “Suspended” or
“Suspension” type depends mainly on the
topography of the bridge site.

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Applicability of Suspended type Bridge

• suitable for hills and slope topography.

• this type of bridge is selected where the bridge

foundations can be placed at sufficiently high position
giving required free board from the highest flood level.

• is more economic, simple to design and construct than

other bridge types.

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Applicability of Suspension type Bridge
• suitable for plane and flat topography.

• this type of bridge is selected only when the

Suspended type bridge is no more feasible due to
insufficient free board.

• this bridge is more expensive and more complex in

survey, design and construction than the Suspended
type bridge.

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 Technical Details of Suspended type
Bridge
• has downward sagging
walkway.

• cables are anchored in to the

main anchorage foundation at
both banks.

• main components of this

bridge are:
- steel cables
- main anchorage foundations
- walkway system
- wind guy system (only for
LSTB)
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Technical Details of Suspension type Bridge
• has upward cambering walkway.
• cables are anchored in to the main
anchorage foundation at both banks.

• main components of this bridge are:

- steel cables
- steel hinged tower
- tower foundations
- main anchorage foundations
- walkway system
- windguy system (only for LSTB)

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Norms
• good for human and animal traffic

• live load = 400 kg/m2

• wind speed = 160 km/hr

• design life of the bridge = min. 50 years

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Standard Design
• SSTB Standard
All bridge designs are standardized in the form of
following technical hand book.
- SSTB Technical Hand Book
Vol.I : Survey & Design
Vol.II : Forms
Vol.III: Standard Drawings)

can be surveyed, design and executed by the experienced

technician “sub-overseer” but to be approved by the
Engineer
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• LSTB Standard
All bridge designs are standardized in the form of
following manuals.
- LSTB Technical Manual
Vol.A : Design
Vol.B : Survey
Vol.C : Standard Drawings

can be surveyed, design only by the experienced

Engineer and execution by the “Overseer”.

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 LSTB Suspended type Bridge

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 LSTB Suspension Type Bridge

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Completed SSTB Suspended Bridge

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LSTB Suspended Bridge Technology

• technology is more complex & expensive than SSTB

• constructed at only socio-economically feasible sites.
• engineering through Pvt. Consultants, construction
through contractors.

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LSTB Suspension Bridge Technology
• It is the most complex technology & expensive
• constructed at only socio-economically feasible sites.
• engineering through Pvt. Consultants, construction
through contractors.

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Tools for Construction and Bridge Erection

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Materials

• Steel Cables

• Steel Parts

• Cement, Sand, Aggregates, Stones

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Favorable & unfavorable condition for selection of the
bridge axis for trail bridge.

The bridge site should fulfill the following general conditions.

They are:
• close to traditional crossing point
• minimum free board from highest flood level
• maximum bridge span of 120 m
• safety distance for foundations

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1)Traditional Crossing Points:
The bridge site should be selected at or near the traditional
crossing point.
Favorable:
Selected site is at or near the traditional crossing point.
Unfavorable:
Selected site is far from the traditional crossing point.

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2)Bridge Span
The bridge span in this standard is limited to 120 m span.
Favorable: span, l is equal to or shorter than 120 m
Unfavorable: span, l is longer than 120 m

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3)Level Difference between two Banks:
In Case of Suspended Type Bridge:
The level difference h between the two foundation blocks
should not be more than l /25.
Favorable:
• h is equal to or less than l/25.
Unfavorable:
• h is greater than l/25.

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In Case of Suspension Type Bridge:
The Walkway and Tower Foundations on both the banks
should be placed at the same level.
Favorable:
• Walkway and Tower Foundations on both banks can be
placed at the same level.
Unfavorable:
• Walkway and Tower
Foundations on both
banks can not be placed
at the same level.

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4)Safety Distance for Foundation
The Foundations should be placed at least
• 3 m behind the soil slope and
• 1.5 m behind the rock slope from the front edge of the
riverbank.

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5)Slope Profile
The Bridge Foundation should be placed behind the line of
the angle of internal friction. (The angle of internal friction is
the angle of the slope of soil or rock at which it is still stable
and does not slide).
In Case of Suspended Type Bridge:

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In Case of Suspension Type Bridge:

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5)Free Board:
Suspended Type Bridge

Suspension Type Bridge:

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Site Investigations for trail bridges
1) Make sure of the location of the traditional crossing
point,
2) A meeting with local inhabitants has to be conducted,
and their ideas on site conditions, river flow nature,
high flood level, traffic flow, slope stability and material
availability, etc. shall be discussed. Particularly, in the case
of the SSTB standard site survey methodology,
Such communication with local people is a must.
3)The follow-up of instructions and recommendations,
stated in the preliminary report, shall be performed at
the site.
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4)Walkover observation of the site 500 m up and
downstream of the crossing point shall be done.
Check if the recommended sites in the preliminary
report are the same.
5)Mark the bridge span, bridge type and slope
stability at the initial stage. And after self judgment of
appropriate sites, make a detailed observation of the
conditions defined by the technical feasibility criteria
6)Study of site condition as per checklist
recommended in the preliminary report.

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 THANK YOU

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