| Abstract: | Comparative life‐cycle cost analysis of pedestrian bridges made from different materials. Considerable maintenance costs may accrue during the life time of infrastructure objects. Therefore, the choice of construction options should not only be made based on purchase price, but also taking into account expected follow‐up costs. Against this background, a study conducted with Deutsche Bahn AG and Peter Maier Leichtbau GmbH analyzed which construction material promises the best overall cost‐effectiveness for pedestrian bridges. Cost‐effectiveness was evaluated based on a life‐cycle‐cost analysis. This study investigated pedestrian bridges built of conventional construction materials wood, steel and reinforced concrete, as well as bridges made of aluminium alloy. An annuity was chosen to be the comparison value for life‐cycle costs. For coping with uncertainties in cost determination and forecasting, diverse sensitivity analyses were used to verify their effects on the final results. Aluminium alloy came out to be the most cost‐effective option for the bridge system investigated within this study. |
