Investigate an economical truss type steel pedestrian bridge for Sri Lanka

This study aims towards the truss type steel bridges used for the pedestrian purposes in Sri Lanka. During the recent past, several truss type steel bridges have been constructed for pedestrian usage. Modified Warren and Variable Height bridges constructed for pedestrian usage can be commonly seen in Southern Province of Sri Lanka. When designing pedestrian bridges, it is important to consider the loading due to pedestrians and also the wind action which is less critical, especially in rural areas in Sri Lanka. Using the data gathered from the field survey, literature survey and the data collected from the Road Development Authority (RDA) and Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA), preferred truss types were selected for further investigation. Numerical modelling and analysis of truss steel bridges were carried out using SAP2000 software to identify optimum sections for a given span. Using the results obtained through numerical modelling most preferable truss types were identified with the RDA and PRDA requirements as well as codes of practices for the length, width and headroom of the trusses