The MAADI Group engineering firm, Montréal, Québec, has installed two new aluminum pedestrian bridges at Ruisseau Park, in Blainville, Québec, Canada.
October 10, 2013—MONTREAL, CANADA – The strong, yet lightweight footbridges are constructed with maintenance-free welded aluminum components for their truss structures framework and side guardrails. The bridges’ decking is made from Ipe exotic hardwood, a tropical lumber that is naturally resistant to weathering and decay, also known as Ironwood™.
The arch pony-truss-style bridges’ wooden decks allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely cross the bridge without slipping or skidding. The wood decking integrates well with the mill finish aluminum structural components.
The footbridges have a pleasing arched-rail architectural design that blends well with Ruisseau park’s natural surroundings, as well as providing essential functionality for park-goers to easily traverse the streams that run through the park’s terrain. Overall bridge length is 10.67 meters (35 feet); clear width between rails is 1.83 meters (6 feet). The bridge deck has a slight camber across the length of the bridge, bowing up 460mm (18 inches) at its center, and has a 1.37 meter (54-inch) rail height above the deck.
The two bridges were installed on September 16, 2013, and were transported on a truck platform from the manufacturing facility to the park’s installation site about 40 kilometers north of Montréal. The bridges each weigh 1850 kilograms (4070 lbs), with a distributed load capacity of 4kPA (83psf), concentrated load capacity of 2 kN (450 lbs.), service vehicle capacity up to 750kg (1650 lbs.), and lateral wind charge of 400Pa (8.35lbs.).
De la Chevrotière, President of MAADI Group, notes, “A recent Total Cost of Ownership study conducted by Deloitte Inc. compares bridge material overall costs of aluminum versus steel over time. Aluminum bridge structures are corrosion-free and maintenance-free, eliminating the repeated expenses of galvanizing or painting steel due to rust. Aluminum is impervious to harsh climate conditions including ice, snow, frigid temperatures, salt, and chemicals. Unlike steel, after decades of use, the aluminum is fully recyclable with very high scrap value, and retains its strength properties when reused,” he concludes, “These benefits, along with efficient transport and fast installation make our aluminum bridge structures an extremely cost-effective and sustainable alternative to steel.”
“Aluminum’s ability to integrate perfectly with materials such as the park bridges’ Ironwood™ decking enables us to create recreational bridges with customized features that are ideal for walking and biking in Ruisseau Park. MAADI Group is grateful to our project partners on the Ruisseau Park Bridges project: Mr. Sacha Fournier, ing., M.Sc., Engineering Services, Ms. Danielle D. Limoges, of Terrassement Limoges et Fils, and Ms. Nathalie Bertiaume, of Groupe bc2 Architects,” said de la Chevrotière, “We also thank the City of Blainville, Québec and its Parks Department. Residents of Blainville will have a safe and reliable way to enjoy their park’s natural surroundings for many years to come.”
