The Life and Work of Toni Rttimann

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The Life and Work of Toni Rüttimann

• El Suizo The Swiss
• Presented by Luke Hansen

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Who is Toni the Swiss?

• Toni the Swiss is a humanitarian civil engineer
  and bridge-builder
• His mission Improving the daily lives of
  impoverished populations by building bridges
• With limited means, he spearheads ambitious
  projects throughout Latin America and now Asia

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How did Toni get started?

• 1987 Voyaged to Ecuador after an earthquake he
  saw the devastation after bridges were destroyed
• Became determined to build sustainable pedestrian
  bridges throughout Latin America and the
  developing world
• Developed a method to construct suspension
  bridges by hand with community involvement and
  donated materials

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Suspension footbridge in Kampong Pil,
Cambodia Completed 2001, 93 m span
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How does Toni choose sites?

• Toni evaluates villages that are suffering for
  lack of a bridge.
• Toni engages the communities in implementing
  bridge projects.
• The personal involvement of community members
  ensures the success and long term sustainability
  of the project.

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Who has benefited from Tonis bridges?

• It is estimated that Tonis bridges have improved
  the lives of over 600,000 people.
• Toni has built bridges in Nicaragua, El Salvador,
  Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Cambodia,
  Vietnam

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Toni community members constructing a bridge in
Latin America
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What types of bridges does Toni build?

• Toni builds pedestrian suspension bridges.
• Typical span of 50 to 100 m
• The longest span is 264 m
• Toni has constructed over 230 of these bridges

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Why suspension bridges?

• Suspension bridges can be constructed relatively
  cheaply compared to other bridge types.
• Bridge elements can be fabricated off-site and
  quickly erected.
• Bridges can be constructed without heavy lifting
  equipment.

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San Miguel, Honduras 80 m span
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Santa Barbara, Honduras74 m span
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How much does a bridge cost?

• Toni says his organization pays 500 for each
  bridge (mostly for transportation)
• Other materials (wood, concrete) are provided by
  the communities (approx. 500 value)
• Oil companies and armies sometimes provide
  transportation services

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What materials does Toni use?

• Tonis suspension bridges are constructed with
  steel pylons and steel cables.
• Much of the materials are piping and cables that
  have been discarded by the oil industry.
• All other materials are provided by the
  communities benefiting from the bridge

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Tonis Implementation Method Transportation
Labor

• Transportation
• Bridge materials are transported to the site by
  truck and then carried on the backs of helpers
• Labor
• Tonis labor force comes from the surrounding
  community. People help by cutting wood, carrying
  stones, and more

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Tonis Implementation MethodTimeline

• Planning
• Bridge layout is planned and marked
• Excavation
• Community members excavate for foundations and
  gather sand and stone for concrete
• Tower fabrication
• Bridge elements are usually welded off-site by
  Tonis assistants

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Tonis Implementation MethodTimeline

• Erection
• Towers are erected in foundations and set in
  concrete
• Cables
• The main cables are strung and hangers are
  clamped on.
• Deck
• The bridge deck is assembled from wood cut by
  the community members

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Tonis assistant Walter welding a bridge anchor
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Sources

• Overview
• http//www.mostypolskie.pl/Abstracts/0120Introdu
  ction20and20scope/Ruttimann.pdf
• Kampong Pil Bridge http//www.structurae.net/stru
  ctures/data/index.cfm?IDs0005218
• Building Bridges of Hope, Recovery, and Love
• http//web.archive.org/web/20040217193011/cleo.en
  g.monash.edu.au/articles/Ruttimann.htm
• Toni El Suizo
• http//epcollines.ecolevs.ch/sitetoni.htm
• Sigus News
• http//web.mit.edu/sigus/www/NEW/news.htm