A novel suspended footbridge is currently under development in the northwest of Spain, featuring one of the world’s largest single spans of 648 metres. Designed using lightweight 4-metre steel bridge deck modules, the structure emphasizes efficiency and aesthetic appeal. A distinctive aspect of this project is its towerless design, which requires anchoring the main cables well away from the ends of the deck, setting a new world record for the spacing between cable anchorages at 828 m. Additionally, the design includes spatial catenaries arranged on inclined planes and the deck incorporates a bottom bracing system consisting of cables arranged in inverted parabolas. Vibration and aerodynamic instability studies show sufficient vertical, lateral, and torsional rigidity. This design results in an aesthetically remarkable structure that promises user comfort despite its exceptional dimensions.
Baldomir et al. (Wed,) studied this question.