Project 1

Form & Function: Expression of Truth/Beauty

Concepts & Research

A Cable-Stayed Bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns,

normally referred to as towers or pylons, with cables supporting the

bridge deck. There are two major classes of cable-stayed bridges.

The harp design, the cables are made nearly parallel by attaching cables

to various points on the towers so that the height of attachment of each

cable on the tower is similar to the distance from the tower along the

roadway to its lower attachment. In a fan design, the cables all connect

to or pass over the top of the towers.

An Arch Bridge is a semicircular structure with abutments on each end.

The design of the arch, the semicircle, naturally diverts the weight from

the bridge deck to the abutments. Arch bridges are always under

compression and the force of compression is pushed outward along

the curve of the arch toward the abutments.

A Truss Bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements (typically straight)

which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in

response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern

bridges. The basic types of truss bridges have simple designs which could be easily

analyzed by nineteenth and early twentieth century engineers. A truss bridge is

economical to construct owing to its efficient use of materials.