Arch Bridge Research Paper

Bridges and How They Get You to the Other Side

Bridges are part of our everyday life, so you might say that they are easy for engineers to build, but you are wrong. When engineers design a bridge they look at what the bridge would be used for and the forces that will act upon the bridge. There are many different types of bridges, but the most common is the beam bridge. Other types of bridges are the truss bridge, arch bridge, suspension bridge, deck truss bridge, and through truss. The beam bridge has a horizontal beam that is supported by piers or pillars at each end. If the bridge is too long then it becomes quite weak. The truss bridge is made of steel bars and beams placed into triangle formations (Bridge Basics). There are two different types of truss bridges, the deck truss and the through truss. The deck truss has the roadway above the trusses and in the through truss bridge the roadway goes through the trusses (Lamb, Robert). The arch bridge was built by the Romans with stone. Today most arch bridges are built out of steel or concrete and span up to 800 feet. Lastly,

For example, as stated in source 5 there are vertical lift bridges and swing bridges. First, a vertical lift bridge “uses cables, pulleys, and motors and counterweights to rise a section of the bridge.” This process looks and acts much like an elevator. (Bridge Types) Next, Earl Dublin, P.E. Structural Engineer New York Division Federal Highway Administration, said the deck of the bridge is raised to allow for a vessel to pass under. Another type of movable bridge is the Swing Bridge. The Swing Bridge rotates on a pedestal allowing vessels to move past on either side (Bridge Types). So when the bridge is over a canal or river it is perpendicular to allow traffic over to the other side, but when a vessel comes the bridge would run parallel to the