DevoxxFR 2024 Reproducible Builds with Apache Maven
Toni el Suizo
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
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
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.
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