Brought to you by: Maria Peloro and Christine Sniffen Bridging the Bridge Brought to you by: Maria Peloro and Christine Sniffen

Historical Facts

Example of Bridge Types There are 6 main bridges that are used today. The most important bridges are as follows: girder, arch, truss, cable stayed, rigid frame, and suspension bridges...

Girder A girder bridge is the most simple and most common bridge in existence. A log across a bank to a bank over a river is an example of a girder bridge.

Arch Arch bridges are the second most common bridges, and also being the oldest bridges, these bridges are well known. Most arch bridges are made of stone because they were made long ago. ‘Arches use a curved structure which provides a high resistance to bending forces. Unlike girder and truss bridges, both ends of an arch are fixed in the horizontal direction.’

Truss The truss bridge can also be called a skeletal structure; these bridges live up to its name. ‘Trusses are comprised of many small beams that together can support a large amount of weight and span great distances.’

Cable Stayed ‘A typical cable stayed bridge is a continuous girder with one or more towers erected above piers in the middle of the span.’ This sums up a cable stayed bridge. From the title, ‘cable’, the brige is suspended by cables attatched from two towers supporting the main bridge. The only problem with this bridge is that it is victimized by the wind.

Rigid Frame ‘In a standard girder bridge, the girder and the piers are separate structures. However, a rigid frame bridge is one in which the piers and girder are one solid structure.’ Rigid frame bridges are very efficient, but require a ton of materials. There are usually two stories to these bridges, separated by steel on steel.

Suspension

The view shows the old London Bridge in an adapted form. (1890’s) Real Bridges The view shows the old London Bridge in an adapted form. (1890’s)

Links http://www.historyworld.net/images/imagepopup.asp?No5=113&Id5=xacd http://www.wikinfo.org/upload/e/ee/OldLondonBridgeSmall.jpg http://www.matsuo-bridge.co.jp/english/bridges/basics/cablestay.shtm http://www.matsuo-bridge.co.jp/english/bridges/basics/girder.shtm http://www.matsuo-bridge.co.jp/english/bridges/basics/truss.shtm http://www.matsuo-bridge.co.jp/english/bridges/basics/arch.shtm