The Waldnaab River, in the Upper Palatinate, flows through a picturesque nature reserve. Part of the infrastructure for visitors consists of a bridge over the little river for pedestrians and cyclists. This changes the route of two existing ramblers’ footpaths in the valley area and optimises the environment of the various kinds of animals living there.
The bridge was designed by Brückner & Brückner Architekten of Tirschenreuth. The curved steel structure, which is 45 metres long, blends well with the existing topography. The bridge is supported by three piers and two abutments. Slim, hot dip galvanized steel sections combine with oak panels to give the bridge a special appearance. The architects chose galvanized steel “because it was the most permanent solution for a bridge of this span”. The galvanized steel has also been painted to achieve the desired aesthetic. One further sensible anti-corrosion measure was the separation of the oak which contains tannic acid, and the steel structure by a polyamide substrate. This avoids bimetallic corrosion.
The bridge’s load-bearing system was formed from two curved hollow steel sections (300 x 300 mm), with a 600 mm gap between them, and was then braced with cross sections. The effective midspans of the bridge are 8.18 and 13.48 metres respectively. For artistic reasons, the structure has been framed by galvanized steel hoops of various heights at intervals of 45 cm, giving delightful views from and through the bridge to pedestrians and passers-by.
Architect: Brückner & Brückner Architekten
Image: Brückner & Brückner Architekten