Bridges

arch bridge span

100-500 feet

beam bridge span

200 feet

suspension bridge span

2000-7000 feet (longest span)

arch bridge

bridge with abutments and a curved arch shape

arch bridge can be found...

crossing water, roads, valleys who sides often serve as a abutments

span

distance from pier to pier

tension

force of pulling or stretching

compression

force of pushing

an arch bridge has...

great natural strength/ used in roman times

trusses can be found...

in all types of bridges

beam bridge

most common type of bridge/ least complicated

cable-stayed bridge

most modern bridge. Deck is supported by cables attached to towers

deck

platform cars go across

forces on arch bridge

primarily compression

what do cables do on a suspension bridge

pull the arch down using compression

cables

thick rope or wire

forces on beam bridge

top of bridge - compression bottom of bridge - tension piers - compression

forces on suspension bridge

towers - compression cables - tension

suspension bridge

towers and deck suspended by cables

truss

triangular shape with framework

dead load

types of materials that make up a bridge

live load

types of objects that move across a bridge

bridge

used to span the distance over a variety of obstacles and relies upon the forces of compression/ tension