Jakob Rope Systems has built a stunning 270m suspension bridge in Disentis, Switzerland.
The bridge connects Disentis/Mustér to the hamlet of Mumpé Medel on the opposite side of the Rhine Gorge – a crossing that was previously slow and difficult for pedestrians to navigate.
The new suspension bridge is expected to improve access to mountainous areas and increase hiking tourism to the region.
An engineering marvel
The bridge’s structure consists of four load-bearing ropes below walking level and two at handrail level. The bracing structure has two cable ropes while the railing infill is made from 60mm Webnet mesh.
The bridge’s supporting cable system helps to reduce unwanted swaying during use and to transfer forces from strong winds. Supporting ropes suspend the bridge’s girder steel frame construction, while 1.3m high Webnet provides the required fall protection and adds to load capacity.
For load testing, engineers loaded the bridge with approximately 20 tonnes and tested the effect on the structure. They then compared these effects to previously calculated values – which in turn were verified by the practical test scenario!
Other Jakob suspension bridge projects
The Disentis bridge isn’t the first suspension bridge that Jakob has been involved in – although it is certainly one of the longest to date.
Others include:
- A 17m steel-rope and Webnet bridge at St Moritz, that crosses a gorge on the Waterfall Promenade hiking trail.
- A 50m steel-rope and Webnet bridge in the rocky area of Balmberg.
- A 25.8m steel footbridge at Trubschachen, which uses Webnet supported on 26mm suspension cables to brace the structure – a world-first achievement.
Benefits of Jakob Rope Systems for suspension bridges
Jakob materials in combination with precision-engineering expertise offer numerous advantages for suspension bridges.
For a start, the materials are marine-grade, anti-corrosive, UV-resistant and fire-resistant which helps reduce maintenance and the risk of degradation.
While Webnet is highly robust, it’s light in weight which allows for a lighter bridge that requires a lower volume of material. This can lead to lower initial costs.
The material’s large span capacity also makes it highly suited to large infrastructure projects, including footbridges of all kinds.
A bridge that uses Jakob materials can also be designed to reduce the types of movement common with suspension bridges. For example, in the Trubschachen bridge, the bridge deck support beams, Webnet, and supporting systems work together to make the structure more rigid and stable.
At Tensile, we use Jakob stainless steel materials to create robust support systems and fall protection for footbridges of all designs and kinds. Call us to find out more or to discuss your project idea!
Images source: Jakob Rope Systems
