The MAADI Group engineering firm, Montréal, Québec, has installed an aluminum pedestrian service bridge at the horse riding park Le Parc Équestre de Blainville, in Blainville, Québec, Canada.
November 19, 2012—MONTREAL, CANADA – The strong, yet lightweight footbridge is constructed with maintenance-free aluminum components for its truss structure framework and side guardrails. The bridge’s decking is made from Ipe wood, a tropical lumber that has a naturally high resistance to weather and microorganism decay, also known as Ironwood™.
The arch pony-truss-style bridge’s wooden deck allows horses to safely cross the bridge without their horseshoes slipping. The wood decking planks and bottom guardrail wood kick-plate integrate with the aluminum structural components and create a pleasing aesthetic architectural design that blends well with the horse park’s natural surroundings. The bridge’s overall length is 18 meters (59 feet), and has a clear width of 3 meters (9 feet, 10 inches). The bridge deck has a slight camber across the length of the bridge, bowing up 14-1/8 inches (360 mm) at its center.
The equestrian bridge was installed on November 6, 2012, and was transported on a truck platform from the manufacturing facility to the park’s installation site about 120 kilometers north of Montréal. The bridge is designed to accommodate two horses crossing side-by-side at a time, with a distributed load capacity of 4kPA (83 psf), concentrated load capacity of 1.6kN (360 lbs.), service vehicle capacity up to 3600kg (7620 lbs.), and lateral wind charge of 400Pa (8.35 psf.).
De la Chevrotière notes, “A recent Total Cost of Ownership study conducted for us by Deloitte Inc. compares bridge materials’ overall cost over time. Aluminum is corrosion free, and therefore, a bridge with an aluminum structure is maintenance free, removing the expense of galvanizing or painting steel due to rust. Aluminum has the unique advantage of being impervious to harsh climate conditions, including ice, snow, frigid temperatures, and salt and chemicals. After decades of use, the aluminum is fully recyclable with a very high scrap value, and retains its strength properties when reused,” he concludes, “These benefits, along with ease of transport and installation make our aluminum bridge structure an extremely cost-effective and sustainable alternative to steel. Aluminum’s ability to integrate perfectly with Ironwood™ enables us to create a bridge with options customized for use by horses and their riders.”
“MAADI Group is grateful to our project partners on the Blainville Equestrian Bridge project: Mr Felix Paquin, P.E., Consulting Engineer for BPR Triax, Mr Daniel Lavallée from Lavallée & Frères General Contractors ” said de la Chevrotière, “We also thank the City of Blainville, Québec. Trail riders and their horses will have a safe and reliable way to traverse the park’s terrain for many years to come.”
