Engineers and bridge spotters become excited about topics relating to bridge design. The most famous structures date back from centuries to a few years and engineers continue to innovate. They toy with environmentally friendly designs, bridges that withstand earthquakes, but also attractive formations. Bridge design is frequently the purview of civil engineers but bridge spotting is undertaken by people who are simply passionate about this type of structure in all of its forms.
Bridges Spotters
You might not have heard of these people but they spend most of their free time hunting for new bridges to look at, cross by foot, or drive over. They organize holidays with the express purpose of taking pictures and recording their findings at the sites of famous bridges: Clapper Bridge and Tower Bridge; Brooklyn Bridge; Chengyang Bridge; Severn Bridge; and many more. At conferences and casual gatherings, the jargon is about as intense as any you would find at a convention of professional bridge builders. Visit cochraneng.com for more.
Bridge Design
Civil engineers can choose to go in several directions with their skills. One such direction is transportation: road building and, potentially, bridge building as well. During their studies, they research the strength of old and new materials, hire teams to analyze the quality of soil or rock into which a bridge will be built, and consider traffic demands. They are also under pressure to be as environmentally sensitive as possible while also creating something beautiful. Part of their jobs is to create attractive structures a city can be proud of. Safety is of tantamount importance but if safety, beauty, and eco-friendly practices can be combined within a given budget they will do it. The most inspired professionals create structures of lasting beauty.
Famous Bridges
Clapper Bridge, mentioned above, is one of the oldest and simplest designs historically. Located in western England, it's a basic stone structure over what is now a shallow body of running water. Severn Bridge connects western England to Wales. Italy's Ponte Vecchio (a.k.a. Old Bridge) is a tourist attraction dating back over 650 years and connects two banks of Florence's Arno River. The Chengyangor Wind and Rain Bridge, a covered structure in China, provides shelter from poor weather. Visit us here.
Types of Bridges
Here are some of the basic styles you will encounter as you travel the world. They include arch, truss, beam, tied arch, cantilever, and suspension bridges. An arch bridge is mainly supported by an arch. Trusses or posts hold up truss styles. With a beam bridge you see a distinctive V-shape in the supports. A cantilever style uses diagonal supports instead.
Uses of Bridges
You might see a structure which the public is not welcome to cross or which is shut to cars. There are bridges designed to host solar panels which provide energy to a city. Most structures are fixed but some are movable for tall ships or even temporary such as the kinds used in military operations for a short period of time. Only trucks and other commercial vehicles are permitted to cross commercial bridges and many gorges are crossed by tourists using suspension bridges.