Footbridge of Knokke

Program

Complete design of structure, architecture and landscape architecture

Concept

Situated at the Queen Elisabethlaan, connecting Knokke with Oostend, this pedestrian bridge fore fills two functions. On the one hand, the bridge connects the sea dike with a green zone in the “Polders”. In this way the bridge creates tourist possibilities for cyclists and pedestrians. On the other hand the bridge symbolises entry into the marine city of Knokke Heist. The static model is a continuous beam with length 102m that rests on 4 supports. This creates an ideal span division of 28m/46m/28m. The structural form was first hand drawn, subsequently digitally processed: a software program computed the minimum amount of minimum material and the shapes of the openings. The result is an optimised shape. From a conceptual point of view, the bridge consists of welded bent steel plates of 12mm thickness. In this way, a structural steel “hammock” is formed in which a concrete deck lies. To resist shear forces, caused by the bent shape in plan, the sides of the plates are 45° inclined with respect to the central axis.

Specific features

Optimisation of the self-weight as a function of deflection and Von Mises stresses.