tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50733580221373106062024-02-07T06:44:18.040-08:00bridgeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12317656678638727687noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073358022137310606.post-86226151537830720952012-11-22T07:29:00.001-08:002012-11-22T07:29:53.405-08:00<br />
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Night lights illuminate the truss on Shanghai's Waibaidu Bridge.</div>
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Truss Bridges: Beam Bridges With Braces</h1>
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Travel around the world, and you'll encounter dozens of variations on your standard beam bridge. The key differences, however, all come down to the design, location and composition of the truss.</div>
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During the early Industrial Revolution, beam bridge construction in the United States was rapidly developing. Engineers gave many different truss designs a whirl in an attempt to perfect it. Their efforts weren't for naught. Wooden bridges were soon replaced by <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/iron.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">iron</a> models or wood-and-iron combinations.</div>
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All these different truss patterns also factored into how beam bridges were being built. Some takes featured a <strong style="font-style: inherit;">through truss</strong> above the bridge, while others boasted a <strong style="font-style: inherit;">deck truss</strong> beneath the bridge.</div>
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A single beam spanning any distance undergoes compression and tension. The very top of the beam gets the most compression, and the very bottom of the beam experiences the most tension. The middle of the beam experiences very little compression or tension. This is why we have I-beams, which provide more material on the tops and bottoms of beams to better handle the forces of compression and tension.</div>
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And there's another reason why a truss is more rigid than a single beam: A truss has the ability to dissipate a load through the truss work. The design of a truss, which is usually a variant of a triangle, creates both a very rigid structure and one that transfers the load from a single point to a considerably wider area.</div>
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While truss bridges are largely a product of the <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-industrial-revolution-inventions.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">Industrial Revolution</a>, our next example, the arch, dates back much further in time. Grab your sword and sandals, because we're about to go Roman.</div>
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Manitoba, Canada's Esplanade Riel pedestrian bridge, competed in 2003, spans the Red River.</div>
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BATS: The Basics of Bridge Design</h1>
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If you're going to build a bridge, you'll need some help from <strong style="font-style: inherit;">BATS</strong> -- not the furry, winged mammals that so often live beneath bridges, but the key structural components of bridge construction:<strong style="font-style: inherit;">beams</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit;">arches</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit;">trusses</strong> and<strong style="font-style: inherit;">suspensions</strong>.</div>
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Various combinations of these four technologies allow for numerous <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-amazing-bridges.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">bridge designs</a>, ranging from simple <strong style="font-style: inherit;">beam bridges</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit;">arch bridges</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit;">truss bridges</strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit;">suspension bridges</strong> to more complex variations, such as the pictured<strong style="font-style: inherit;">side-spar cable-stayed bridge</strong>. For all its 21st century complexity, the side-spar design is based on suspension principles first used some two centuries earlier.</div>
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The key differences between these four bridge types comes down to the lengths they can cross in a single<strong style="font-style: inherit;">span</strong>, which is the distance between two <strong style="font-style: inherit;">bridge supports</strong>, the physical braces that connect the bridge to the surface below. Bridge supports may take the form of columns, towers or even the walls of a <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/7-wonders-of-the-natural-world.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">canyon</a>.</div>
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Modern beam bridges, for instance, are likely to span up to 200 feet (60 meters), while modern arch bridges can safely cross 800-1,000 feet (240-300 meters). Suspension bridges are capable of extending from 2,000-7,000 feet (610-2,134 meters).</div>
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Regardless of the structure, every bridge must stand strong under the two important forces we'll talk about </div>
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A train speeds over a beam bridge.</div>
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The Beam Bridge</h1>
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<a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-amazing-bridges.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">Bridge</a> building doesn't get any simpler than this. In order to build a beam bridge (also known as a <strong style="font-style: inherit;">girder bridge</strong>), all you need is a rigid horizontal structure (a beam) and two supports, one at each end, to rest it on. These components directly support the downward weight of the bridge and any traffic traveling over it.</div>
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However, in supporting weight, the bream bridge endures both compressional and tensional stress. In order to understand these forces, let's use a simple model.</div>
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If you were to take a two-by-four and lay it across two empty milk crates, you'd have yourself a crude beam bridge. Now if you were to place a heavy weight in the middle of it, the two-by-four would bend. The top side would bend in under the force of compression, and the bottom side would bend out under the force of tension. Add enough weight and the two-by-four would eventually break. The top side would buckle and the bottom side would snap.</div>
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Many beam bridges use concrete or <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/iron.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">steel</a> beams to handle the load. The size of the beam, and in particular the height of the beam, controls the distance that the beam can span. By increasing the height of the beam, the beam has more material to dissipate the tension. To create very tall beams, bridge designers add supporting <strong style="font-style: inherit;">latticework</strong>, or a <strong style="font-style: inherit;">truss</strong>, to the bridge's beam. This support truss adds rigidity to the existing beam, greatly increasing its ability to dissipate the compression and tension. Once the beam begins to compress, the force spreads through the truss.</div>
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Yet even with a truss, a beam bridge is only good for a limited distance. To reach across a greater length, you have to build a bigger truss until you eventually reach the point at which the truss can't support the bridge's own weight. Brace yourself for some serious stats on truss bridges on the next page.</div>
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The Pont du Gard aqueduct is as old as the Christian religion.</div>
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The Arch Bridge</h1>
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After more than 2,000 years of architectural use, the arch continues to feature prominently in bridge designs and with good reason: Its semicircular structure elegantly distributes compression through its entire form and diverts weight onto its two <strong style="font-style: inherit;">abutments</strong>, the components of the bridge that directly take on pressure.</div>
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Tensional force in arch <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-amazing-bridges.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">bridges</a>, on the other hand is virtually negligible. The natural curve of the arch and its ability to dissipate the force outward greatly reduces the effects of tension on the underside of the arch.</div>
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But as with beams and trusses, even the mighty arch can't outrun physics forever. The greater the degree of curvature (the larger the semicircle of the arch), the greater the effects of tension on the underside of the bridge. Build a big enough arch, and tension will eventually overtake the support structure's natural strength.</div>
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While there's a fair amount of cosmetic variety in arch bridge construction, the basic structure doesn't change. There are, for example, <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-roman-engineering-tricks.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">Roman</a>, Baroque and Renaissance arches, all of which are architecturally different but structurally the same.</div>
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It is the arch itself that gives its namesake bridge its strength. In fact, an arch made of stone doesn't even need mortar. The ancient Romans built arch bridges and aqueducts that are still standing today. The tricky part, however is building the arch, as the two converging parts of the structure have no structural integrity until they meet in the middle. As such, additional scaffolding or support systems are typically needed.</div>
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Modern materials such as steel and prestressed concrete allow us to build far larger arches than the ancient Romans did. Modern arches typically span between 200 and 800 feet (61 and 244 meters), but West Virginia's New River Gorge Bridge measures an impressive 1,700 feet (518 meters) [source: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/meetarch.html" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">NOVA</a>].</div>
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San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge stands as a classic example of a suspension bridge.</div>
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The Suspension Bridge</h1>
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As the name implies, suspension bridges, like the Golden Gate Bridge or Brooklyn Bridge, suspend the roadway by cables, ropes or chains from two tall towers. These towers support the majority of the weight as compression pushes down on the suspension bridge's deck and then travels up the cables, ropes or chains to transfer compression to the towers. The towers then dissipate the compression directly into the earth.</div>
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The <strong style="font-style: inherit;">supporting cables</strong>, on the other hand, receive the bridge's tension forces. These cables run horizontally between the two far-flung <strong style="font-style: inherit;">anchorages</strong>. Bridge anchorages are essentially solid rock or massive concrete blocks in which the bridge is grounded. Tensional force passes to the anchorages and into the ground.</div>
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In addition to the cables, almost all suspension bridges feature a supporting truss system beneath the bridge deck called a <strong style="font-style: inherit;">deck truss</strong>. This helps to stiffen the deck and reduce the tendency of the roadway to sway and ripple.</div>
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Suspension bridges can easily cross distances between 2,000 and 7,000 feet (610 and 2,134 meters), enabling them to span distances beyond the scope of other bridge designs. Given the complexity of their design and the materials needed to build them, however, they're often the most costly bridge option as well.</div>
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But not every suspension bridge is an engineering marvel of modern <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/iron.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">steel</a>. In fact, the earliest ones were made of twisted grass. When Spanish conquistadors made their way into Peru in 1532, they discovered an<a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-ancient-incan-inventions.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">Incan</a> empire connected by hundreds of suspension bridges, achieving spans of more than 150 feet (46 meters) across deep mountain gorges. Europe, on the other hand, wouldn't see its first suspension bridge until nearly 300 years later [source: <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2286002/" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">Foer</a>].</div>
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Of course, suspension bridges made from twisted grass don't last that long, requiring continual replacement to ensure safe travel across the gap. Today, only one such bridge remains, measuring 90 feet (27 meters) in the Andes.</div>
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What's next? Hint: You'll have to stay (that's a hint!) around to find out.</div>
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Holland's Erasmus Bridge resembles a harp with its cable-stayed construction.</div>
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Michele Falzone/Photographer's Choice/<a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">Getty Images</a></div>
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Cable-Stayed Bridge</h1>
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At first glance, the cable-stayed <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-amazing-bridges.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">bridge</a>may look like just a variant of the suspension bridge, but don't let their similar towers and hanging roadways fool you. Cable-stayed bridges differ from their suspension predecessors in that they don't require anchorages, nor do they need two towers. Instead, the cables run from the roadway up to a single tower that alone bears the weight.</div>
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The tower of a cable-stayed bridge is responsible for absorbing and dealing with compressional forces. The cables attach to the roadway in various ways. For example, in a radial pattern, cables extend from several points on the road to a single point at the tower, like numerous fishing lines attached to a single pole. In a parallel pattern, the cables attach to both the roadway and the tower at several separate points.</div>
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Engineers constructed the first cable-stayed bridges in Europe following the close of World War II, but the basic design dates back to the 16th century and Croatian inventor Faust Vrancic. A contemporary of <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/question316.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">astronomers</a> Tycho Brache and Johannes Kepler, Vrancic produced the first known sketch of a cable-stayed bridge in his book "Machinae Novae."</div>
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Today, cable-stayed bridges are a popular choice as they offer all the advantages of a suspension bridge but at a lesser cost for spans of 500 to 2,800 feet (152 to 853 meters). They require less steel cable, are faster to build and incorporate more precast concrete sections.</div>
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Not all bridges requires great hunks of steel and concrete though. Sometimes a tree root or two will do the trick.</div>
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Resonance decimates the Washington's Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge over Puget Sound on Nov. 7, 1940.</div>
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More Bridge Forces: Resonance</h1>
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You can think of <strong style="font-style: inherit;">resonance</strong> as the vibrational equivalence of a snowball rolling down a hill and becoming an<a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/avalanche.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">avalanche</a>. It begins as a relatively small, periodic stimulus of a mechanical system, such as wind buffeting a bridge. These vibrations, however, are more or less in harmony with the bridge's natural vibrations. If unchecked, the vibration can increase drastically, sending destructive, resonant vibrations traveling through a bridge in the form of torsional waves.</div>
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The most noteworthy example of resonance occurred in 1940, when resonant vibrations destroyed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington. The incident was especially shocking at the time as the structure was designed to withstand winds of up to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour and collapsed in a mere 40-mile (64-kilometer) wind.</div>
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Close examination of the situation suggested that the bridge's deck-stiffening truss was insufficient for the span, but this alone couldn't bring such a structure down. As it turned out, the wind that day was at just the right speed and hit the bridge at just the right angle to set off the deadly vibration. Continued winds increased the vibrations until the waves grew so large and violent that they broke the bridge apart. The effect is similar to that of a singer shattering a glass with her voice.</div>
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Wind isn't the only potential threat, however. When an <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/army.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">army</a> marches across a bridge, the soldiers often "break step" so that their rhythmic marching will start resonating throughout the bridge. A sufficiently large army marching at just the right cadence could set the deadly vibration into motion.</div>
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In order to mitigate fully the resonance effect in a bridge, engineers incorporate dampeners into the bridge design to interrupt the resonant waves and prevent them from growing.</div>
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Another way to halt resonance is to give it less room to run wild. If a bridge boasts a solid roadway, then a resonant wave can easily travel the length of the bridge and wreak havoc. But if a bridge roadway is made up of different sections with overlapping plates, then the movement of one section merely transfers to another via the plates, generating friction. The trick is to create enough friction to change the frequency of the resonant wave. Changing the frequency prevents the wave from building.</div>
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We are a species of bridge builders. Since time out of mind, humans have engineered structures to surmount obstacles, such as, say, Jiaozhou Bay. The body of water is now home to a 26.4-mile (42.5-kilometer) bridge that links the busy Chinese port city of Quingdao to the Chinese suburb of Huangdou.</div>
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We've tamed <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/iron.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">steel</a>, stone, lumber and even living vegetation, all in an effort to reach the places, people and things we desire.</div>
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Although the concept itself is as simple as felling a tree across a creek, bridge design and construction entails serious ingenuity. Artists, architects and engineers pour vast resources into bridge construction and, in doing so, reshape the very environment in which we live.</div>
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As a result, we inhabit a planet of bridges, some as ancient as Greece's 3,000-year-old Arkadiko bridge or as unchanged as India's 500-year-old Meghalaya living bridges, which are coaxed into existence from growing tree roots (more on that later). Countless others have fallen into the ravines and rivers they span, as humans continue to tackle ever more ambitious bridges and <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/10-construction-projects.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: initial;">construction</a>.</div>
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In this article, we'll get to know the bridges we so often take for granted (we literally walk and drive all over them), as well as the designs that make them possible. We'll look at the fundamental principles of bridge engineering, the different types and how we attempt to thwart the physical forces and natural phenomena that perpetually threaten to destroy the world's bridges.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12317656678638727687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073358022137310606.post-54967724294059102702012-11-22T07:23:00.000-08:002012-11-22T07:23:12.351-08:00<br />
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Bridges are structures that provide a means of crossing natural barriers, such as rivers, lakes, or gorges. Bridges are designed to carry railroad cars, motor vehicles, or pedestrians. Bridges also support pipes, troughs, or other conduits that transport materials, such as an oil pipeline or a water aqueduct.</div>
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Humans have been constructing bridges since ancient times. The earliest bridges were probably nothing more than felled trees used to cross rivers or ditches. As <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Civilization.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'civilization' definition from Wikipedia">civilization</a> advanced, artisans discovered ways to use stone, rock, mortar, and other natural materials to construct longer and stronger bridges. Finally, as physicists and engineers began to develop the principles underlying bridge construction, they incorporated other materials such as iron, steel, and <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Aluminium.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'aluminum' definition from Wikipedia">aluminum</a> into the bridges they built. There are four major types of bridges: beam, cantilever, arch, and suspension.</div>
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Forces acting on a bridge</h2>
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Three kinds of forces operate on any bridge: the dead load, the live load, and the <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Active_load.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'dynamic load' definition from Wikipedia">dynamic load</a>. Dead load refers to the weight of the bridge itself. Like any other structure, a bridge has a tendency to collapse simply because of the gravitational forces acting on the materials of which the bridge is made. Live load refers to traffic that moves across the bridge as well as normal environmental factors such as changes in temperature,precipitation, and winds. Dynamic load refers to environmental factors that go beyond normal weather conditions, factors such as sudden gusts of wind and earthquakes. All three factors must be taken into consideration in the design of a bridge.</div>
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Words to Know</h2>
<b style="color: white;">Abutment: </b>Heavy supporting structures usually attached to <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Bedrock.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'bedrock' definition from Wikipedia">bedrock</a> and supporting bridge piers.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Bedrock: </b>Portion of Earth's mantle made of solid rock on which permanent structures can be built.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Dead load: </b>The force exerted by a bridge as a result of its own weight.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Dynamic load: </b>The force exerted on a bridge as a result of unusual environmental factors, such as earthquakes or strong gusts of wind.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Live load: </b>The force exerted on a bridge as a result of the traffic moving across the bridge.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Piers: </b>Vertical columns, usually made of reinforced concrete or some other strong material, on which bridges rest.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Suspenders: </b>Ropes or steel wires from which the roadway of a bridge is suspended.<br />
<b style="color: white;">Truss: </b>A structure that consists of a number of triangles joined to each other.</div>
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Beam bridges</h2>
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The simplest type of bridge consists of a single piece of material that stretches from one side of a barrier to the other side. That piece of material—called a beam or girder—rests directly on the ground on each side or is supported on heavy foundations known as piers. The length of a beam bridge is limited by the weight of the beam itself plus the weight of the traffic it carries. Longer beam bridges can be constructed by joining a number of beams to each other in parallel sections.</div>
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Cantilever bridges</h2>
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A cantilever bridge is a variation of the simple beam bridge. A cantilever is a long arm that is anchored at one end and is free to move at the opposite end. A diving board is an example of a cantilever. When anchored firmly, a cantilever is a very strong structure. It consists of three parts: the outer beams, the cantilevers, and the central beam. The on-shore edge of the outer beam is attached to the ground itself or to a pier (usually a vertical column of reinforced concrete) that is sunk into the ground. The opposite edge of the outer beam is attached to a second pier, sunk into the ground at some distance from the shore. Also attached to the off-shore pier is one end of a cantilever. The free end of the cantilever extends outward into the middle of the gap between the shores. The cantilevers on either side of the gap are then joined by the central beam.</div>
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Caisson</h2>
To build bridge piers, workers need a water-free environment to excavate or dig the foundations. This is achieved by using a caisson, a hollow, water-tight structure made of concrete, steel, or other material that can be sunk into the ground. When building a bridge over a river, workers sink a caisson filled with compressed air into the river until it reaches the river bottom. The workers then go into the caisson and dig out soil from the riverbed until they come to bedrock. The caisson, which has sharp bottom edges, continually moves downward during the digging until it comes to rest on bedrock. Concrete is then poured into the caisson to form the lowest section of the new bridge pier.</div>
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<b style="color: white;">Trusses. </b>The strength of a cantilever bridge (or any bridge) can be increased by the use of trusses. A truss is structure that consists of a number of triangles joined to each other. The triangle is an important component of many kinds of structures because it is the only <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Geometry.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'geometric' definition from Wikipedia">geometric</a> figure that cannot be pulled or pushed out of shape without changing the length of one of its sides. The cantilever beam, end beams, and joining beams in a cantilever bridge are often strengthened by adding trusses to them. The trusses act somewhat like an extra panel of iron or steel, adding strength to the bridge with relatively little additional weight. The open structure of a truss also allows the wind to blow through them, preventing additional stress on the bridge from this force.</div>
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Arch bridges</h2>
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The main supporting structure in an arch bridge is one or more curved elements. The dead and live forces that act on the arch bridge are transmitted along the curved line of the arch into abutments or supporting structures at either end. These abutments are sunk deep into the ground, into bedrock if at all possible. They are, therefore, essentially immovable and able to withstand very large forces exerted on the bridge itself. This structure is so stable that piers are generally unnecessary in an arch bridge.</div>
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The roadway of an arch bridge can be placed anywhere with relationship to the arch: on top of it, beneath it, or somewhere within the arch. The roadway is attached to the arch by vertical posts (ribs and columns)</div>
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<img alt="A bowstring arch bridge in Arizona. The roadway is supported from the arch by suspenders. (Reproduced by permission of JLM Visuals.)" height="258" src="http://www.scienceclarified.com/images/uesc_02_img0097.jpg" width="439" /><div class="caption">
A <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Tied_arch_bridge.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'bowstring arch bridge' definition from Wikipedia">bowstring arch bridge</a> in Arizona. The roadway is supported from the arch by <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Suspenders.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'suspenders' definition from Wikipedia">suspenders</a>. <i>(Reproduced by permission of</i><div class="credit">
<a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Chinese_University_of_Hong_Kong.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'jlm' definition from Wikipedia">JLM</a> Visuals</div>
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if the roadway is above the arch, by ropes or cables (suspenders) if the roadway is below the arch, and by some combination of the two if the roadway is somewhere within the arch.</div>
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Suspension bridges</h2>
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In a suspension bridge, thick wire cables run across the top of at least two towers and are anchored to the shorelines within heavy abutments. In some cases, the roadway is supported directly by suspenders from the cables. In other cases, the suspenders are attached to a truss, on top of which the roadway is laid. In either case, the dead and light loads of the bridge are transmitted to the cables which, in turn, exert stress on the abutments. That stress is counteracted by attaching the abutments to bedrock.</div>
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The towers in a suspension bridge typically rest on massive foundations sunk deep into the riverbed or <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Seabed.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'seabed' definition from Wikipedia">seabed</a> beneath the bridge itself. The wire cables that carry the weight of the bridge and its traffic are made of parallel strands of steel wire woven together to make a single cable. Such cables typically range in diameter from about 15 inches (38 <a class="knldlink" href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Centimetre.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #b7ffb7;" title="View 'centimeters' definition from Wikipedia">centimeters</a>) to as much as 36 inches (91 centimeters).</div>
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Movable bridges</h2>
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Traditionally, three kinds of movable bridges have been constructed over waterways to allow the passage of boat traffic. In a swing bridge, the roadway rotates around a central span, a large, heavy pier sunk into the river bottom. In a bascule bridge, the roadway is raised like an ancient drawbridge. It can be lifted either at one end or split in two halves in the middle, each half rising in the opposite direction. In a vertical-lift bridge, the whole central portion of the bridge is raised straight up by means of steel ropes.</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26.383333206176758px;"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.scienceclarified.com/Bi-Ca/Bridges.html#b#ixzz2CxuWghKk" style="color: #003399;">http://www.scienceclarified.com/Bi-Ca/Bridges.html#b#ixzz2CxuWghKk</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12317656678638727687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073358022137310606.post-18439598632298848522012-11-22T07:15:00.002-08:002012-11-22T07:15:21.935-08:00<br />
<figure id="articleLead" style="background-color: white; background-image: url(http://www.inqmind.co/styles/sprites/article_imagebg.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Peace Bridge by Santiago Calatrava" src="http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/06/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava_616.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><figcaption style="background-color: #f9faf9; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: #c2c3c2; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">© Nelson Hein</figcaption></figure><div class="content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, times, serif; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 20px 80px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="mdash" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(240, 39, 6); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; display: block; float: left; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; font: inherit; margin: -12px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: -99999px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;">—</span><span class="first" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Calgary’s Peace Bridge is another gem from the great Santiago Calatrava, once again demonstrating his innate ability to inspire and cause wonder.</span><br /><br />Located in Calgary, Canada, the Peace Bridge can be found between the banks of the Bow, just west of Prince's Island Park. It was built to accommodate the growing number of commuters and those who simply want to enjoy the pathways for themselves. Though the design is not typical of Calatrava’s unique soaring, aspirational style of architecture, the bridge still maintains his architectural spirit. Due to environmental concerns with the riverbed, Calatrava had to design a red, tubular steel-truss bridge with various openings, that seems to work in either summer or winter.<br /><br /><figure class="contentImage" style="background-image: url(http://www.inqmind.co/styles/sprites/article_imagebg.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; left: -80px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616px;"><img alt="Peace Bridge by Santiago Calatrava" height="412" src="http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/06/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava/article/peace-2.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="616" /><figcaption style="background-color: #f9faf9; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: #c2c3c2; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">© Nelson Hein</figcaption></figure><br /><figure class="contentImage" style="background-image: url(http://www.inqmind.co/styles/sprites/article_imagebg.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; left: -80px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616px;"><img alt="Peace Bridge by Santiago Calatrava" height="921" src="http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/06/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava/article/peace-3.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="616" /><figcaption style="background-color: #f9faf9; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: #c2c3c2; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">© Nelson Hein</figcaption></figure><br /><figure class="contentImage" style="background-image: url(http://www.inqmind.co/styles/sprites/article_imagebg.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; left: -80px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616px;"><img alt="Peace Bridge by Santiago Calatrava" height="921" src="http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/06/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava/article/peace-4.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="616" /><figcaption style="background-color: #f9faf9; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: #c2c3c2; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">© Nelson Hein</figcaption></figure><br /><figure class="contentImage" style="background-image: url(http://www.inqmind.co/styles/sprites/article_imagebg.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; left: -80px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616px;"><img alt="Peace Bridge by Santiago Calatrava" height="409" src="http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/06/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava/article/peace-5.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="616" /><figcaption style="background-color: #f9faf9; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: #c2c3c2; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">© Nelson Hein</figcaption></figure><br /><figure class="contentImage" style="background-image: url(http://www.inqmind.co/styles/sprites/article_imagebg.gif); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; left: -80px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616px;"><img alt="Peace Bridge by Santiago Calatrava" height="411" src="http://static.inqmind.co/content/2012/06/peace-bridge-by-santiago-calatrava/article/peace-6.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14px; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="616" /><figcaption style="background-color: #f9faf9; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: #c2c3c2; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">© Nelson Hein</figcaption></figure><br />I really like this bridge because of the symbolism involved. A regular, uncovered piece of crap bridge is unfortunately the normal response in this country, and says something to the citizens and the city’s visitors about how they look at themselves collectively. Thankfully, the design of the bridge was not overlooked and instead was looked upon as a great opportunity (as evidenced in the design.) I often end conversations with “Peace Out”, but after taking in this bridge a bit more, I realize that peace is always in style.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12317656678638727687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073358022137310606.post-56524477993983994212012-11-22T07:06:00.001-08:002012-11-22T07:06:20.762-08:00<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1 – Magdeburg Water Bridge</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cjmillisock.com/uploaded_images/Germany-Water-Bridge-795496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://www.cjmillisock.com/uploaded_images/Germany-Water-Bridge-795496.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Germans took over a century to build this water bridge. The 918-metre Magdeburg Water Bridge, is a navigable aqueduct water bridge in Germany, completed in October 2003. It bridges the River Elbe to connect two important German shipping canals; the Elbe-Havel Canal and the Midland Canal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plans for joining the two canals had been conceived as far back as 1919, and construction on such a project began during the 1930s,but first World War II and then the post-war division of Germany put the project on hold until after German reunification was achieved in the 1990s</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bridge site is open to visitors and includes a parking lot, bicycle and pedestrian paths and informational signs detailing the history and construction of the bridge. The bridge itself is located outside of Hohenwarthe near the city of Magdeburg and is known locally as the Wasserstrassenkreuz Magdeburg.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2 – Seoul’s Banpo Bridge Turns into Gigantic Fountain</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9G6TrSLciYkrrsQEc8GN827zEmyE2-XxRo_6R1QRcf0zrnV2CeXcYCfJTPJOrYohQWBKPvB0NLAw2TuXaa9PUK733nI2D2vz-qSd1MfXmZHQrOhXFWs_T9jlPwH9K9h18ACE_w6d1KIh/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9G6TrSLciYkrrsQEc8GN827zEmyE2-XxRo_6R1QRcf0zrnV2CeXcYCfJTPJOrYohQWBKPvB0NLAw2TuXaa9PUK733nI2D2vz-qSd1MfXmZHQrOhXFWs_T9jlPwH9K9h18ACE_w6d1KIh/s640/2.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="496" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Banpo Bridge which crosses over the Han River in the Seoul capital of Korea has been given new life with the addition of a very interesting fountain, that was specially designed to attract more tourists.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fountains at the Banpo Bridge were installed on September ninth and have since become a major tourist attraction.The bridge has turned into a major tourist attraction. It has nearly 10 thousand nozzles ( more exactly 9, 380 ) on either side of the bridge that shoots out 190 tons of water every minute. According to the Seoul mayor, Oh Se-Hoon, the fountain bridge would help acknowledge Seoul as an eco-friendly destination amassing more tourists.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3 – Aiola Island Bridge</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt6ZdF9iQkZUs7UMeV1PoQDmT2w8ybW-uNOIg4HVe1Hr5bBSA42HNc8Q2YqwrI4C_mpfWVPhrxwD3gPHIMP09PWqPPIFfb9eMLBZWdB9Sn7K2grEAJ2w5X7aC227NVDoz6-XHBKw0FYIy/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt6ZdF9iQkZUs7UMeV1PoQDmT2w8ybW-uNOIg4HVe1Hr5bBSA42HNc8Q2YqwrI4C_mpfWVPhrxwD3gPHIMP09PWqPPIFfb9eMLBZWdB9Sn7K2grEAJ2w5X7aC227NVDoz6-XHBKw0FYIy/s640/3.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="420" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A cool bar located on a river. Aiola Island, located right in the center of the Mur River in Graz, Austria, was built in 2003, and immediately developed itself as a popular attraction. The ‘island’ was created by the New York artist Vito Acconci. It has a sunbathing area, a trendy bar and a coffee house, plus it allows you to cross the Mur River from one shore to another.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4 – Gateshead Millennium Bridge</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The award winning $44 million Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the first and only tilting bridge in the world. Hydraulic rams at each end of the bridge allow it to tilt so small ships may pass through, and it is this innovative technology which won its designers the prestigious Stirling Prize for architecture in 2002. Thanks to the 19,000 tonnes of concrete poured into 98ft deep foundations and enough steel to build 64 double decker buses, the bridge can withstand a collision with a 4,000 tonne ship moving at 4 knots.<a href="http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Home.aspx" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: initial;">(Link)</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5 – The Falkirk Wheel</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/00/69/006996_71f561ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/00/69/006996_71f561ae.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Millennium Link was an ambitious £84.5m project with the objective of restoring navigability across Scotland on the historic Forth & Clyde Canal and Union Canal, providing a corridor of regenerative activity through central Scotland. A major challenge faced, was to link the Forth and Clyde Canal, which lay 35m (115ft) below the level of the Union Canal. Historically, the two canals had been joined at Falkirk by a flight of 11 locks that stepped down across a distance of 1.5km, but these has been dismantled in 1933, breaking the link. What was required was a method of connecting these two canals by way of a boat lift. British Waterways were keen to present a visionary solution taking full advantage of the opportunity to create a truly spectacular and fitting structure that would suitably commemorate the Millennium and act as an iconic symbol for years to come. The resultant, perfectly balanced structure that is The Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat lift.<a href="http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: initial;">(link)</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6 – Henderson Waves Bridge</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2511530580_e7172534d9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2511530580_e7172534d9.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At a height of 36 metres or 12 storeys from the road, it’s the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. The 300-metre bridge links up the parks at Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bridge has a unique wave-form made up of seven undulating curved steel “ribs” that alternately rise over and under its deck. The curved “ribs” form alcoves that function as shelters with seats within and also to accommodate large number of people during public events.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the day, one can enjoy the habour views while standing on the 12-storey high bridge.At night, the wave-forms will be lit with attractive LED light from 7pm to 2am daily, giving the bridge an illuminative glow, offering beautiful night scenic view of the city.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7 – Tianjin Eye Bridge</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5KGha9_ZHRC82NvBw3raB_CnxrhsJbl2RME6IEJLE4EKP0XKChAoxrn5GyBLpNNxuIFpRpuK2gpK3Iy5zP-0n5lpdMftR86JVOfsLwYPr0ApR83bohjnKu0V7fsuo9lneOnINKAKRXwS/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5KGha9_ZHRC82NvBw3raB_CnxrhsJbl2RME6IEJLE4EKP0XKChAoxrn5GyBLpNNxuIFpRpuK2gpK3Iy5zP-0n5lpdMftR86JVOfsLwYPr0ApR83bohjnKu0V7fsuo9lneOnINKAKRXwS/s640/7.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Tianjin Eye,is a gigantic ferris wheel constructed on Yongle Bridge over the Haihe River.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 110 meter diameter ferris wheel will lift people 120 meters up into the air, as high as one 35-storey building, and promise a grand view of around 40 square kilometers over the surrounding city.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are 48 capsules on the ferris wheel, each of them carrying up to 8 people at a time, giving a capacity of 768 passengers per hour. It takes half an hour for this slow-rotating observation wheel to complete a full circle.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8 – The Malaysia Sky Bridge</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjansBdYFWiMMfWskWXfaTQtdjB2E1CPu0wRHggPkevIkb5Kupn3eFcnk_VURH45z2qJcNa0ZGlVTobPdmq8MPr7TJNH6sWBtrfmPaomPhEGlxUZovHoyy6QZqQ9wCtBo_xcj40ANcSCUI/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjansBdYFWiMMfWskWXfaTQtdjB2E1CPu0wRHggPkevIkb5Kupn3eFcnk_VURH45z2qJcNa0ZGlVTobPdmq8MPr7TJNH6sWBtrfmPaomPhEGlxUZovHoyy6QZqQ9wCtBo_xcj40ANcSCUI/s640/8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s not a bridge to the sky, but it’s not far from the idea!The Langkawi sky-bridge in Malaysia is suspended at 700 metres above sea level and spans 125 across the mountains, offering magnificent views of the Andaman Sea and Thailand’s Tarutao Island. It’s set apart from other bridges by its curves that provide different perspectives of the landscapes. Here’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world that delivers quite a pump of adrenaline.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>9 – Ponte Vecchio</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpRHwdsXgwmYnOYYWiX3hQoUYyJ_C_BkuP0G6KroBi9qAMucjkXIdW0j4aEyEy0mALomyPLBQ9ve5g7qSiWGCXBKXvjl1joJAzrNiVHld8arWDy3tzLgkBapFahrAaw2pch1L0JnaVHx6/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpRHwdsXgwmYnOYYWiX3hQoUYyJ_C_BkuP0G6KroBi9qAMucjkXIdW0j4aEyEy0mALomyPLBQ9ve5g7qSiWGCXBKXvjl1joJAzrNiVHld8arWDy3tzLgkBapFahrAaw2pch1L0JnaVHx6/s400/9.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpRHwdsXgwmYnOYYWiX3hQoUYyJ_C_BkuP0G6KroBi9qAMucjkXIdW0j4aEyEy0mALomyPLBQ9ve5g7qSiWGCXBKXvjl1joJAzrNiVHld8arWDy3tzLgkBapFahrAaw2pch1L0JnaVHx6/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These bridge is oldest and most famous of its kind. The Ponte Vecchio in Florence is one of the most famous tourist spots. These bridge is thought to be the oldest wholly stone built & segmental arch bridge in Europe. Although there are many partial segments which date further back. It was first originally built of only wood and then it was destroyed by floods in 1333 and twelve years later it was rebuilt using stone. These was famous for its lining of shops, the bridge has housed everybody from Medieval merchants and butchers to souvenir stalls and art dealers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10 – Bridge to Nowhere</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj63yXjNrbdhsV2TgG3koCaa8w2FmisDDXPRarJ2r-eXQSDurfZ2ONKNVmRrUCh_q6ITpT1ww51UonsazCQBKjWrzNdMFehMw049IUwdhwmctv6OJX7kgS3gUlw8UagmPKqyDAckmRCFcm/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj63yXjNrbdhsV2TgG3koCaa8w2FmisDDXPRarJ2r-eXQSDurfZ2ONKNVmRrUCh_q6ITpT1ww51UonsazCQBKjWrzNdMFehMw049IUwdhwmctv6OJX7kgS3gUlw8UagmPKqyDAckmRCFcm/s400/10.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="383" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A bridge on the Atlantic Road in Norway. The fact that the Atlantic Road of Norway was voted as the Norwegian Construction of the Century in 2005 pretty much says it all about this wonderful integration of modern technology with nature’s magnificence. The road is akin to man’s stroke of brush on nature’s canvas and the view and the ride it offers is both unique and enthralling. The wonderful ride moves along a scenic five-mile stretch along highway Rv64 between Molde and Kristiansund. Best time for a ride: when a storm mild hits the ocean! Ironically, that is when the ocean under the road is at its dramatic best.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12317656678638727687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073358022137310606.post-13740627072773652282012-11-22T07:01:00.000-08:002012-11-22T07:01:12.430-08:00<br />
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<img alt="" height="450" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_sq_tschumi_bridge-09.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_sq_tschumi_bridge-09" width="450" /></div>
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A pedestrian bridge designed by <span style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: line-through; vertical-align: baseline;">American</span> New York-based architect <a href="http://www.tschumi.com/" style="color: #6c6e95; text-decoration: initial;">Bernard Tschumi</a> and French firm <a href="http://www.hda-paris.com/" style="color: #6c6e95; text-decoration: initial;">Hugh Dutton Associés</a> has opened in La Roche-sur-Yon in France.<span id="more-68940" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68942" height="450" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_sq_tschumi_bridge-28.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_sq_tschumi_bridge-28" width="450" /></div>
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The tubular lattice bridge connects the old centre of Atlantic coast town with newer districts across the TGV railway tracks.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68947" height="599" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge-30.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge-30" width="450" /></div>
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Photos are copyright © <a href="http://www.viewpictures.co.uk/" style="color: #6c6e95; text-decoration: initial;">Christian Richters/VIEW</a></div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68944" height="338" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge-02.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge-02" width="450" /></div>
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Here’s some info from the architectural team:</div>
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INAUGURATION OF PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE FOR LA ROCHE-SUR-YON, DESIGNED BY BERNARD TSCHUMI AND HUGH DUTTON<div style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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LA ROCHE-SUR-YON, FRANCE March 9, 2010: A public ceremony on February 6th inaugurated a footbridge in La Roche-sur-Yon, France, designed by Bernard Tschumi Architects and Hugh Dutton Associates. The bridge’s cylindrical structure aims to express the loads and stresses on the bridge while creating an original and contemporary statement for the town, located near resort communities of the western coast.</div>
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<img alt="" height="338" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge-09.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge-09" width="450" /></div>
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The extension of the TGV train to La Roche-sur-Yon and nearby towns bordering the Atlantic marks not only an important moment for the modernization of the European and French train network, but also an occasion to initiate civic improvements. Linking the historic city founded by Napoleon (“the Pentagon”) with new neighborhoods, this pedestrian bridge crosses above high-speed railway tracks, providing an important urban connection for the town.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68946" height="338" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge-28.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge-28" width="450" /></div>
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Conceived through joint collaboration between the fields of architecture and engineering, the bridge was designed by Bernard Tschumi and Hugh Dutton, with their respective teams in Paris and New York. The teams developed the design for La Roche-sur-Yon as both a utilitarian vector of movement and a symbol of contemporary urban relationships. The intention of the designers was to demonstrate an integration of an original structural system with an architectural concept developed from urban scale research of neighborhood identity and carried through the expression of the minutest details.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68950" height="342" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge_sketches1.gif" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge_sketches1" width="450" /></div>
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It has been said that there is no architecture without movement. A pedestrian bridge is not just a static object, but represents a dynamic vector in both its usage and urban perception. The designers have sought to express this dynamic characteristic, as much through the structural system as through finishing materials (interlaced polycarbonate surfaces protect passengers from weather conditions, while lighting follows the rhythm of the structure). Even the bright red-orange color was chosen to emphasize the urban significance of the bridge as a pedestrian vector.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68951" height="330" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge_sketches2.gif" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge_sketches2" width="450" /></div>
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Structure</div>
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The new bridge replaces an existing structure, a standard railway design that can be found all over France, contemporary with and inspired by the work of Eiffel, using lateral beams composed of a diagonal mesh of small plate strips that are riveted together. The design of the new bridge uses the same language of a diagonal mesh, but in a tubular from, to create a complete cylindrical volume through which the users pass. Footbridges over railways require lateral protection for safety of both the users and the trains below. The complete volume provides a single structural solution that possesses the necessary inertia to span between the available support points as well as provide support for the required protective screens and a canopy cover.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68948" height="450" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge_diagram.gif" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge_diagram" width="450" /></div>
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Robert le Ricolais, a distinguished thinker and innovator in architectural and engineering design was born in La Roche-sur-Yon, worked in France before World War 2 and then moved to the University of Pennsylvania. He is known for his research work in the development of spatial three dimensional structures, studying structural concepts such as weightlessness and the infinite span. His work extended beyond architecture and engineering to painting and poetry. The bridge design is an homage to him.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68953" height="531" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge_structure.gif" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge_structure" width="450" /></div>
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The triangulated mesh of the main structural tube is articulated to distinguish between the tensile and compression forces by using simple tie rods for the tensile members. The ties have no compressive capacity and express therefore the tensile zones. The compressive members are in ‘T’ or ‘H’ sections corresponding to the magnitude of forces in them. The section sizes of the members vary as a function of the loading to optimize the steel mass and further express the forces in the system. Mid-span, the lower chords are tensile, while the upper members are compressed. The inverse is true at the support points, where the bending moments are inverted. The shear forces in tubular truss are generally greater at the support points and tending more and more vertical the closer one approaches the supports. The pattern of triangulation of the truss follows this change in direction of forces. The general objective is to find a harmonious geometric composition that expresses the natural passage of forces.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68952" height="450" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge_stress.gif" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge_stress" width="450" /></div>
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Team</div>
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The complexity of the project required the expertise of in international team. Team leaders included Bernard Tschumi and Hugh Dutton, associated architect Veronique Descharrières within BTuA, and Pierluigi Bucci and Pierre Chassagne, engineers at HDA. Jean-Marie Garnier of the SNCF managed the project for the client and coordinated implementation.</div>
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LA ROCHE-SUR-YON FOOTBRIDGE<br />La Roche-sur-Yon, France</div>
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ARCHITECTS:<br />Bernard Tschumi and Hugh Dutton</div>
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ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN:<br />Bernard Tschumi Architects (BTA), joint representative, including general design and preliminary urban studies.</div>
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ARCHITECTURAL AND STRUCTURAL DESIGN:<br />Hugh Dutton Associates (HDA)</div>
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BTA DESIGN TEAM:<br />Schematic Design, Design Development: Francoise Akinosho, Ben Edelberg, Kim Starr. Construction Documents / Site Supervision : Véronique Descharrières, Vincent Prunier, Rémy Cointet, Alice Dufourmontelle</div>
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HDA DESIGN TEAM:<br />Pierluigi Bucci, Pierre Chassagne, Francesco Cingolani, Maria Angela Corsi, Pietro Demontis, Gaëtan Kolher, Cathy Shortle, Romain Stieltjes, Carla Zaccheddu</div>
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CLIENT:<br />City of La Roche-sur-Yon</div>
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PROJECT TEAM:<br />SNCF – Engineering Department, Jean-Marie Garnier</div>
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CONTRACTOR:<br />Renaudat Centre Constructions</div>
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PHOTOGRAPHY:<br />© Christian Richters</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68949" height="645" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_tschumi_bridge_section.gif" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="dzn_tschumi_bridge_section" width="450" /></div>
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TECHNICAL DATA:<br />67 meters (35+32 spans)<br />201 square meters of concrete deck<br />160 tons of total weight, of which 130 tons of steel ie 1,9 tons per linear meter<br />76 circular diaphragms, 2100 compressive diagonals, 600 tensile rods<br />4300 meters of profiles, about 10 km of welding, 1800 conical nodes</div>
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</article>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12317656678638727687noreply@blogger.com0