1. The Life and Work of Toni Rüttimann
“El Suizo” – “The Swiss”
Presented by Luke Hansen

2. 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

3. 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

4. Suspension footbridge in Kampong Pil, Cambodia;
Completed 2001, 93 m span

5. 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.

6. Who has benefited from Toni’s
bridges?
 It is estimated that Toni’s 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

7. Toni & community members
constructing a bridge in Latin America

8. 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

9. 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.

10. San Miguel, Honduras; 80 m span

11. Santa Barbara,
Honduras
74 m span

12. 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

13. What materials does Toni use?
 Toni’s 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

14. Toni’s Implementation Method:
Transportation & Labor
 Transportation:
Bridge materials are transported to the site
by truck and then carried on the backs of
helpers
 Labor:
Toni’s labor force comes from the
surrounding community. People help by
cutting wood, carrying stones, and more

15. Toni’s Implementation Method:
Timeline
 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 Toni’s
assistants

16. Toni’s Implementation Method:
Timeline
 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

17. Toni’s assistant Walter welding a
bridge anchor

18. Sources
 Overview
http://www.mostypolskie.pl/Abstracts/01%20Introduction%20and%
20scope/Ruttimann.pdf
 Kampong Pil Bridge:
http://www.structurae.net/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0005218
 “Building Bridges of Hope, Recovery, and Love”:
http://web.archive.org/web/20040217193011/cleo.eng.monash.edu.au/articles/
 “Toni El Suizo”:
http://epcollines.ecolevs.ch/sitetoni.htm
 Sigus News:
http://web.mit.edu/sigus/www/NEW/news.htm