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about 20–60 m
Truss footbridges
Warren or Pratt trusses, through or half-through, with steel or composite decks. Light, stiff and modular – the most efficient form for road and rail crossings.
Solution · Steel pedestrian bridges
Pedestrian bridges, engineered in steel
Footbridges, skywalks and landmark crossings – designed for comfort, fabricated under EN 1090 EXC3 and AS/NZS 5131 CC3 certification, delivered in modules and lifted into place in a single night, to US, Australian, European and Vietnamese codes.
- 10–60 m
- Typical single spans
- 1.5–6 m
- Clear deck widths
- 4
- Code systems US · AU · EU · VN
- EXC3 · CC3
- Certified fabrication
A crossing people enjoy using
A pedestrian bridge is judged by the people who walk over it every day: it must feel solid underfoot, be easy to reach by stair, ramp or lift, stay comfortable in wind and crowds, and look right in its setting for decades. Behind that experience sits serious engineering – dynamic behaviour, fatigue, corrosion protection and an erection plan that closes a road for hours, not weeks.
World Steel designs, details, fabricates and delivers steel footbridges as complete, tested modules. Our engineers work with your designer or deliver the full design-and-build package, our certified factory in Vietnam fabricates and coats every member, and the bridge ships with a full quality dossier to the codes of your market.
Structural forms
Bridge typologies
One fabrication system, every structural form – chosen for span, site, budget and the image of the crossing.
about 20–60 m
about 15–50 m
Covered skywalks
Enclosed box trusses with roof, glazing, lighting and ventilation, linking hospitals, campuses, stations, malls and office towers.
about 30–80 m
Arch & bowstring bridges
Tied arches with slender hangers – a landmark silhouette over rivers, parks and waterfronts, with no thrust on the foundations.
about 10–35 m
Girder footbridges
Plate or box girders with a clean underside for creeks, park paths and short road spans – economical, robust and quick to install.
Applications
Where our footbridges go
01
Urban road crossings
Over highways and arterial roads, with stair, ramp and lift towers.
02
Rail & transit stations
Platform links and concourse bridges with protective screens.
03
Hospitals & campuses
Weather-protected skywalks between buildings.
04
Parks & waterways
Arches and girders over rivers, lakes and creeks.
05
Industrial plants
Access bridges over pipe racks, roads and conveyors.
06
Resorts & commercial
Landmark crossings, mall links and leisure routes.
Codes & compliance
Designed to the codes of your market
Every bridge is designed, fabricated and documented to the standards of its destination. Key references:
United States
- AASHTO LRFD BDSAASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications
- AASHTO Ped. Guide SpecLRFD Guide Specifications for the Design of Pedestrian Bridges
- AWS D1.5Bridge Welding Code
- ASTM A709Structural steel for bridges
- ADA StandardsAccessible routes, ramps and handrails
- Pedestrian live load
- 90 psf (4.3 kPa) – AASHTO pedestrian guide specification
- Vibration
- Vertical frequency ≥ 3.0 Hz and lateral ≥ 1.3 Hz, or check by the weight criterion
- Railing height
- 42 in (1,070 mm) minimum pedestrian railing – AASHTO LRFD
- Note
- Federally funded projects fall under Buy America (domestic steel) – confirm funding at tender
Australia / NZ
- AS 5100Bridge design (Parts 1–8)
- AS 5100.2Design loads – pedestrian and cyclist loading, dynamics
- AS 5100.6Steel and composite construction
- AS/NZS 5131 WSC certifiedStructural steelwork – fabrication and erection
- AS/NZS 1554.1 / .5Welding of steel structures (incl. fatigue loading)
- AS 1428.1Design for access and mobility
- Fabrication
- Construction Category set by the designer – World Steel certified CC3
- Ramps
- Gradient not steeper than 1:14 for accessible ramps – AS 1428.1
- Barriers
- Height and infill per AS 5100.1 and the road authority
Europe
- EN 1991-2Traffic loads on bridges – footbridges
- EN 1990 Annex A2Comfort criteria for footbridges
- EN 1993-2Design of steel bridges
- EN 1090-2 WSC certifiedExecution of steel structures (EXC3 typical for bridges)
- EN ISO 12944Corrosion protection by paint systems
- Crowd load
- qfk = 2.0 + 120/(L + 30) kN/m², between 2.5 and 5.0 kN/m² (recommended values)
- Comfort
- Check if vertical f < 5 Hz or lateral f < 2.5 Hz; vertical acceleration 0.7 m/s² (recommended)
- Conformity
- CE marking under EN 1090-1 – World Steel FPC certificate 2797 CPR 827443
Vietnam
- TCVN 11823:2017Highway bridge design (LRFD, series)
- TCVN 5575Steel structures – design
- TCVN 170:2007Steel structures – fabrication, assembly and acceptance
- TCVN 8789:2011Protective paints for steel structures
- TCVN 5408:2007Hot-dip galvanized coatings on iron and steel articles
- QCVN 10:2014/BXDAccessibility for people with disabilities
- Loads & design
- Pedestrian loads and dynamics per TCVN 11823 and the owner's design brief
- Clearance
- Vertical clearance over roads per the road authority and road class
- Approvals
- Design appraisal and acceptance per Vietnamese construction regulations
Summary for orientation only – the project specification, the adopted code edition and the authority having jurisdiction govern.
Engineering
Comfort is engineered, not assumed
Slender footbridges can resonate with walking. We analyse every bridge dynamically – natural frequencies, modal mass and pedestrian-induced accelerations – against AASHTO, EN 1990 Annex A2, AS 5100 or the owner's comfort class.
Where needed we tune stiffness and mass or integrate tuned mass dampers in the deck, so the bridge feels solid from the first day.
Engineering
Modular, from factory to crossing
Bridges are fabricated in segments sized for 40-ft containers or flat racks, trial-assembled and match-marked in the factory, coated to C4–C5 protective systems and shipped with bolted splices.
On site the bridge is assembled on the ground, fitted out and lifted into place in a single crane operation – typically a night-time road closure.
Specification
Options & finishes
- Deck
- Composite concrete on steel deck · steel plate with anti-slip surfacing · steel grating · FRP or timber-look composite planks
- Parapets
- Glass, perforated or expanded mesh, vertical bars, stainless handrails with integrated LED lighting
- Enclosure
- Open, canopy roof, fully enclosed skywalk with glazing, louvres and ventilation
- Corrosion protection
- Hot-dip galvanizing, epoxy / polyurethane systems or duplex – ISO 12944 C4–C5, durability high to very high
- Access
- Stair towers, accessible ramps, lift shafts and landings designed with the bridge
- Architecture
- Architectural colours, feature lighting, signage and anti-throw screens over roads and rail
Process
How we deliver
- 1
Brief & concept
Site, span, width, codes and design life – typology and budget options.
- 2
Design & dynamics
Calculations, dynamic analysis, IFC model and approval drawings.
- 3
Certified fabrication
EXC3 / CC3 fabrication, ISO 3834-2 welding, NDT and trial assembly.
- 4
Coating & shipping
C4–C5 coating, modular packing, export logistics and documentation.
- 5
Assembly & lift-in
Ground assembly, single lift, fit-out – supervised by our engineers.
- 6
Handover
Quality dossier, as-built model, inspection and maintenance plan.
Independent assurance
Certified to fabricate bridges
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which span can a steel pedestrian bridge reach?
Girder footbridges are typically economical up to about 35 m, trusses up to about 60 m in a single span and arches beyond that. Longer crossings use intermediate piers or cable-supported forms – we propose the most efficient typology for your site.
Can the bridge be installed without closing the road for long?
Yes. The bridge is fabricated and trial-assembled in the factory, assembled on site next to the crossing and lifted in as one piece, usually during a night-time closure.
How do you prevent bouncy or swaying footbridges?
Every design is checked dynamically against the comfort criteria of the applicable code (AASHTO, EN 1990 Annex A2, AS 5100 or the owner's brief). Stiffness, mass or tuned mass dampers are used where required.
Which standards do you design to?
AASHTO LRFD and the AASHTO pedestrian bridge guide specification in the US, AS 5100 in Australia, Eurocodes (EN 1991-2, EN 1993-2, EN 1090) in Europe and TCVN 11823 in Vietnam – or the code named in your specification.
Can World Steel supply federally funded bridges in the US?
Projects with federal-aid highway funding fall under Buy America rules requiring domestically produced steel. World Steel supplies privately funded and non-federal projects; confirm the funding source at tender.
What corrosion protection do you recommend?
For most outdoor footbridges a hot-dip galvanized or zinc-rich epoxy / polyurethane system to ISO 12944 C4–C5 with high or very high durability; duplex systems where colour and very long life are both required.
Related content
Steel products
Netherlands
SingaporeStandards & certifications
EN 1090 EXC3 · CE
AS/NZS 5131 CC3EuropeAustralia & New ZealandUnited States
EN 1090 EXC3 · CEAS/NZS 5131 CC3EuropeAustralia & New ZealandUnited States
Planning a pedestrian crossing?
Send us the site plan, span, width and design code – our engineers return a concept, typology options and a delivered price.
Delivery terms · Incoterms® 2020
Delivered on the terms you need
World Steel quotes ex-factory, free on board or delivered to your port or site. Export packing, documents and shipment from Ho Chi Minh City are part of our service.
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