Prestressed Footbridge over Jizera River in Semily — From Feasibility Study to Final Design

This Bachelor's thesis addresses the design of an integrated prestressed footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Jizera River in Semily, including a comparative study of five structural concepts and a detailed structural analysis performed in RFEM 6.

Author	Martin Forman
University	CTU \| Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Republic

Prestressed concrete footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Jizera River in Semily.

Footbridge over Jizera River, Semily

Design Study and Selection

Based on a comparison of five different design concepts, an integrated parapet structure made of post-tensioned concrete was selected as the most suitable. The absence of bearings and bridge abutments minimizes maintenance requirements. The comparative study demonstrated that plain reinforced concrete is unsuitable in terms of deformation for the given geometry and technologically unfeasible due to the extreme density of the reinforcement—post-tensioning thus proved to be a necessary element of the structure.

3D model of a prestressed footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Jizera River in RFEM 6

Prestressed Pedestrian Bridge over Jizera River in Semily

Structural Analysis and Optimization

The main part of the thesis consists of a detailed structural analysis of the selected variant and the design of the prestressing system in RFEM 6 using the Tendons module, modal analysis, and nonlinear material behavior. The substructure was optimized by replacing the originally considered piles with micropiles, taking into account the rocky subsoil. The result is a comprehensively designed, reliable, and fully integrated footbridge structure.

Student thesis selected for the Dlubal Talent CTU 2026 competition

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Bachelor's Thesis | Martin Forman | Footbridge over Jizera River in Semily

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