Different Types of Bridges

October 5, 2010 by Joe Gnarles

The Great Belt Bridge

The invention of the bridge was not only an invention but one of the worlds best concepts in getting from one place to another. It has enabled people to go places they normally wouldn’t be able to go do to canyons in the mountains or large masses of water. There are many different types of bridges that serve the same function but separates them due to how they were made and what location they are being used in. The various types of bridges are beam, truss, arch, suspension, cable stayed, and cantilever.

The beam bridge was taken from a more simple bridge known as the log bridge. Ages ago man would use a log to pass over a stream to get to the other side. But in today’s time, man has evolved this technique into what is known as a beam bridge. This type of bridge consist of a horizontal beam that connects to each end of the pier. And due to the lack of support under this type of bridge, you will not see one that is over 250 feet.

The truss bridge is one of the oldest types of modern bridges. This type of bridge forms a triangular shape above the area you would normally drive on. Then the area you would drive on would be slender and straight. Truss bridges were constructed mainly of wood up until 1870. Then steel came into play and replaced the use of wood for the most part. What makes this bridge unique is that it connects its elements with the help of pin joints.

Arch bridges tend to have a great natural strength. Instead of the weight pushing straight down on the arch bridge, the weight is carried outward along the curve of the arch. Then the weight is then transferred over to the end supports. This type of bridge has now evolved into compression arch suspended-deck bridge. This allows for the use of light, flexible materials in their construction.

When you think of suspension bridges you get the visual of a bridge hanging or suspended by something. In the past, these bridges were made using rope and wood. Now in today’s world they are suspended with the use of very strong cables. This type of bridge can span great lengths in excess of 7,000 feet longer than any other bridge out there. This makes it ideal for covering bustling waterways. While the suspension bridge is one of the more expensive to construct, it is unique in itself with how it is constructed. The cables are archored on each end of the bridge. The weight of the bridge then converts into the tension held by the cables.

The cable-stayed bridge and the suspension bridge as Storebælt are similar in how they are made. But the cable-stayed bridge uses shorter cables and shorter towers that hold the cables. And the main factor for building this type of bridge is because it is more stable in the wind than a suspension bridge and it is more cost efficient. In Northern France, the Normandy Bridge is the largest cable-stay bridge in the whole world.

Cantilever bridges are unique in the fact that they are only supported on one end of the bridge. The cantilever bridge basically consist of three parts, the outer beams, the cantilever, and the central beam. The largest cantilever bridge in the world is the Quebec Bridge in Canada measuring 1,800 feet long.

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