East Industrial Pedestrian Bridge: A Case Study of Value Engineering and High Performance Material
الملخص
East Industrial Road, a main arterial for the city of Doha with high average daily traffic,
made crossing by foot being not only challenging, but also dangerous. Authorities
proposed to build a pedestrian bridge over East Industrial Road which would allow for
easy, safe travel over this busy roadway. As part of initiatives towards reduced cost of
road construction and maintenance, alternative materials for the bridge were considered.
For the construction phase, quick installation and utilization of prefabricated units,
and for the operational phase, solutions not requiring periodical maintenance were
favored. The primary objective of this paper is to describe the potential of aluminum
in competition with common steel solutions for this pedestrian bridge. Collaborative
design work remains a key aspect in projects that addresses not only technical efficiency
but also human experience. Cross-disciplinary collaboration requires a language that
allows exchanges across disciplinary boundaries. This paper also discusses the design
process of the first pedestrian bridge built in Qatar made of structural aluminum. As
engineering and building challenges increase in complexity due to environmental and
political factors inherent in the modern age, as well as ever accelerating changes in
technology, project clients are seeking ways for effective management. The purpose of
value engineering is to improve the value of the project designs and to demonstrate to
the client that the objective of "value" has been achieved. The process is documented to
illustrate the range of considerations required in the design/construction team to ensure
a successful project implementation.