BRIDGE DESIGN

Bowen Bara Period 5

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BRIDGES

Suspension: A bridge supported by cables.

Arch: A bridge with curved archs.

Beam: A simply supported bridge, usually straight like a line.

Truss: A bridge usually made with triangles.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE
Suspension bridges work by two towers holding cables to support the weight distributed evenly. Steel usually is
what the cables are made of. Suspension bridges are best in wind and other harsh whether as the cables keep the
bridge steady but also keeps the bridge from breaking in whether. Suspension bridges are the longest lasting bridges
out of the four other types of bridges, it is also cheaper too.

The first suspension bridge

was built on 1801 in Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania. It is called
Jacobs creek bridge.

ARCH BRIDGE
Arch bridges live to its name, arch bridges are bridges with a arch in them, the
arch is used for boats if they want to pass by. The arch bridge is not really good against
Whether and wind unlike suspension. Arch bridges are generally made of steel and concrete
Roads.

BEAM BRIDGE
Beam bridges are the simplest bridges there is. Beam bridges are bridges with just a plank
lying from one side to the other. Beam bridges cant hold a lot of weight or it will snap in half,
beam bridges are cheap but they wont last long. Beam bridges dont do well against
Whether.

Truss bridges are bridges built out of triangles.

The triangular shape is a good design for the bridge,
it helps support the weight by distributing the weight
all over the bridge and the triangle shape helps wind
from knocking over the bridge.

TRUSS BRIDGE

FORCES
Compression force- is the power and pressure against the
bridge, a bridge must handle the power and pressure of force
over time.
Tension force- the force on the bridge when the two sides pull
away from each other. Cables will have tension force.

FORCES
Weight- weight is one of the five forces a bridge must withstand, bridges
must at least hold 8 tons of weight. The golden state bridge holds
887,000 tons. Here are the amount of wait these bridges can hold.
Beam: 650 lbs
Suspension:1,600 lbs
Truss:1,400 lbs
Arch:1,200 lbs