Stepping with confidence

The design and construction of footbridges in Japan is presented in this article, as they are made with the advanced composites of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) - a process that is expected to increase with the publication of specific guidelines. Although FRP are widely used around the world to reinforce existing structures due to their light weight and high corrosion resistance, only a few FRP bridges have been constructed in Japan, due primarily to a lack of standards, guidelines or codes for design and construction. Details of the new guidelines are discussed and how they can be applied to existing structures.