Trail Bridge Experience in Nepal

S.C. Kantha
Team Leader

GREETINGS FROM NEPAL –LAND OF Trail Bridge Support Unit

Tunis, 11 Oct. 2010
THE HIMALAYAS
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 Nepal in Asia

Nepal a Land locked country situated between 2 Giant Countries

China and India.

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Country Background

• Area 147,181 km2

• Population 28
million
• Within 170 km from
almost sea level to
8,848 m
• Per capita GDP US
$ 450

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Country Background

• 75 districts, 4000
VDCs and 50,000
settlements
• World’s Steepest
Slope
• World’s youngest
geology

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Country Background

• Landslides and road

blockage very
common, particularly
during monsoon
• Most diverse climate
–Terai : 48oC
–Himalayas : 35oC (-ve)

• 80 % of land : Hills
and Mountains
• Rain : as high as
1,350 mm per year
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Country Background

• 6,000 rivers and

rivulets and most of
them turbulent
• Drainage density 0.3
per square km
• Annual discharge of
water 2 billion Cum.
• Road density 14 km
per 100 km2
• One road bridge
needed at every 5.5km
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Country Background

• 4,000 pedestrian
bridges are built
• Potential demand of
6,000 bridges
• Average beneficiary
per bridge is 2,500
• Per capita bridge cost
US $ 10
• Design life of a bridge
50 years
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Country Background

• A country of
diversified ethnicity,
castes, cultures,
religions and
languages

• Road construction
very challenging
because of geology
and a very costly affair
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Country Background

• 70% of population
does not have access
to roads

• The only reliable

means of transport is
pedestrian bridges

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Country Background

• One to two weeks

non-stop walk not an
exception

• Sometimes no access
for months,
particularly during
monsoon

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Country Background

• Access to basic
services-health post,
post office, market,
school not guaranteed
• Lives particularly of
children and women
endangered
• Foot bridge totally
change the lives of
people
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Country Background

• Pedestrian bridge is a
must for crossing
rivers and having
uninterrupted
movement

• Pedestrian bridges
are the safe and
improved means of
river crossings
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Country Background

• It is a very low cost

project, built in a
comparatively short
period and benefiting
the poor and the rural
communities

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

• For centuries people

traditional means of
river crossings using
local know-how

• Early 20th century,

Rana Rulers built
modern bridges

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 Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1960s
• Based on Swiss
Geologist Advice
• Unlock the interior
• Govt. decided to
promote pedestrian
bridges
• Suspension Bridge
Division established
in1964
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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1970s
• Swiss support
available for the
program
• Standardization of
designs

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1970s
• Preparation of
technical manuals –
survey, design,
standard drawings
and construction
• Workshops
established for
fabrication of steel
parts for bridges
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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1980s
• Withdrawal of Swiss
experts
• Huge bridge demand
from people
• Difficulties to select
the most needy ones

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1980s
• Study of foot trails in
the hill and
mountainous districts
• Preparation of main
trail maps and service
centre maps
• Important trails
identified
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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1990s
• Steel decks instead of
wooden planks
• Turnkey modality
applied for contracting
construction works
• Huge demands for
bridges on local trail
• SBD - construction of
bridges on main trails
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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1990s
• Helvetas initiated
construction of
bridges on local trails
under community
approach
• Local bridge building
technology upgraded
with engineering input

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

1990s
• SDC provided funds
for Community
Bridges
• Bridge outputs
increased
tremendously

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

2000s
• Demarcation Policy
applied – SSTB &
LSTB
• Technical Manuals for
SSTB bridges
developed

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

2000s
• National Trail Bridge
Policy effective
• Prioritization criteria
established
• WB, ADB and DFID
funds in addition to
SDC available

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

• Capacity building
through EIs
• Course Manuals for
practitioners (Eng,
Sub Eng, Asst Sub
Eng) developed
• Trail Bridge course
incorporated in the
curriculum for
engineers
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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

•Trail Bridge sub-sector

concept emerged
•Sector-wide Approach
introduced
•Basket funds established
• GoN, SDC, WB and DFID
to provide funds in the
Basket Fund

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

• ADB to provide funds

through DRILP and
RRRSDP
• TBSU/Helvetas to provide
Technical Assistance on
behalf of the SDC

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

• TB SWAp implemented
since July 2009
• Five year Phase up to
July 2014
• Target – NC 2200, MM of
500, and RM of 4,000
bridges annually and
access trail improvement
of 750 km
• Budget of US $ 72 million
for 5 years
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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

• Technical assistance
budget of US $ 8 million
for 5 years
• Technical Assistance to
Bhutan, Tanzania,
Ethiopia, Indonesia,
Honduras,
• SSTB bridge under
community approach and
LSTB under contracting
modality

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Evolution of Pedestrian Bridges

• Bridge building know-how

at community level -
DMBT
• Employment at local level
of 2,500 person days

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Technology

• Bridge Technology

In terms of span

Short Span Trail Bridge (SSTB) : for span up to 120m.

Long Span Trail Bridge (LSTB) : for span > 120m

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Bridge type

SuspendeD type -D-type SuspensioN type - N-type

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Technology

Standard Design
• -16m
• - 20m
• - 24m
• - 28m
• - 32m

Steel Truss for span up to 32m

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 Technology

• The selection of the D-type or N-type depends mainly on

the topography of the bridge site.

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 Applicability of D-type Bridge
• suitable for hills and sloped topography.
• this type of bridge is selected where the bridge
foundations can be placed at sufficiently high position
giving required free board from the highest flood level.
• is more economic, simple to design and construct than
other bridge types.
• applicable in 85% cases.

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 Applicability of N-type Bridge

• suitable for plane and flat topography.

• this type of bridge is selected only when the Suspended
type bridge is no more feasible due to insufficient free
board.
• this bridge is more expensive and more complex in
survey, design and construction than the Suspended
type bridge.
• only applicable in 15% cases.

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Technology
• SSTB D-type Bridge Technology
• technology is based on
• maximum use of local materials
• maximum use of local skills
• only use of simple hand tools
• constructed by the community
• engineering within the capacity of asst.
sub-engineers
Technology
• LSTB D-type Bridge Technology
• technology is more complex & expensive than
SSTB
• constructed at only socio-economically
feasible sites.
• engineering through Pvt. Consultants,
construction through contractors.
Cable Setting

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 Technology

Walkway
Walkway Fitting
Fitting

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 Tower Erection
Technology

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 Technology
Cable Pulling : A critical
Milestone

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 Cable Hoisting
Technology

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 Technology

Suspender fitting

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 Technology
Wind guy System

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 Technology

Tools for Construction and Bridge Erection

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 Technology
• Short Span Trail Bridge Standard Technical Handbook for
Suspended Type, Vol. I, II and III (2003) - SSTB D-type
• Short Span Trail Bridge Standard Technical Handbook for
Suspension Type, Vol. I, II and III (2003) -SSTB N-type

Technical Manuals
• Long Span Trail Bridge Manual
•Vol. A: Design (2004)
•Vol. B: Survey (1983)
•Vol. C: Standard Drawings (2004)
•Vol. D: Construction (1990)
• Steel Truss Bridge Manual
• Quality Control Manual
• Demonstration Model Bridge Training Manual (2004) DMBT
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 Technology
• Social Organizational Support Manual

Social Manuals
• Manual for Consulting Service (2004)

Managerial Manuals
• Manual for Contractors (2005)

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 Technology
• Training Course Manual for on Trail Bridges for Practitioner
Engineers (2003)
• Training Course Manual on Trail Bridges for Practitioning

• Training Course Manuals

Overseers (2003)
• Training Course Manual on Trail Bridges for Practitioning Sub-
Overseers (2003)
• Course Manual on Trail Bridges for Bachelor of Civil
Engineering (2003)
• Course Manual on Trail Bridges for Diploma in Civil
Engineering (2003)
• Course Manual on Trail Bridges for Sub-Overseers (2003)

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 Technology
• Trail Bridge Strategy
• Trail Bridge Directives
• Guidelines on Public Hearing, Public Review and Public
Audit

Policies and Guidelines

• Guidelines on NGOs Mobilization
• Guidelines on Budget and Procurement Plan
• Guidelines on Physical Progress and Expenses Reporting

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 Technology

•Bridge building
know-how at
community level -
DMBT
•Employment at local
level of 2,500
person days

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 A community built bridge

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 Local communities working at construction site

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Maintaining transparency through public hearing/review/audit

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