Notes

All major bridges are built with the public’s money. Therefore, bridge design that best serves the public interest has a threefold goal: to be as efficient, as economical, and as elegant as is safely possible. Efficiency is a scientific principle that puts a value on reducing materials while increasing performance. Economy is a social principle that puts value on reducing the costs of construction and maintenance while retaining efficiency. Finally, elegance is a symbolic or visual principle that puts value on the personal expression of the designer without compromising performance or economy. There is little disagreement over what constitutes efficiency and economy, but the definition of elegance has always been controversial.
Modern designers have written about elegance or aesthetics since the early 19th century, beginning with the Scottish engineer Thomas Telford. Bridges ultimately belong to the general public, which is the final arbiter of this issue, but in general there are three positions taken by professionals. The first principle holds that the structure of a bridge is the province of the engineer and that beauty is fully achieved only by the addition of architecture. The second idea, arguing from the standpoint of pure engineering, insists that bridges making the most efficient possible use of materials are by definition beautiful. The third case holds that architecture is not needed but that engineers must think about how to make the structure beautiful. This last principle recognizes the fact that engineers have many possible choices of roughly equal efficiency and economy and can therefore express their own aesthetic ideas without adding significantly to materials or cost.
Thomas Telford's suspension bridge across the River Conwy, leading to Conwy Castle, Conwy county borough, Wales.
Thomas Telford's suspension bridge across the River Conwy, leading to Conwy Castle, Conwy county borough, Wales.
J. Allan Cash Photolibrary/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
00:00 03:02 Generally speaking, bridges can be divided into two categories: standard overpass bridges or unique-design bridges over rivers, chasms, or estuaries. This article describes features common to both types, but it concentrates on the unique bridges because of their greater technical, economic, and aesthetic interest. Get unlimited ad-free access to all Britannica’s trusted content. Start Your Free Trial Today The Elements Of Bridge Design Basic forms
There are six basic bridge forms: the beam, the truss, the arch, the suspension, the cantilever, and the cable-stay. bridge forms bridge forms Six basic bridge forms. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Beam The beam bridge is the most common bridge form. A beam carries vertical loads by bending. As the beam bridge bends, it undergoes horizontal compression on the top. At the same time, the bottom of the beam is subjected to horizontal tension. The supports carry the loads from the beam by compression vertically to the foundations. A beam bridge, with forces of tension represented by red lines and forces of compression by green lines. A beam bridge, with forces of tension represented by red lines and forces of compression by green lines.
All bridges need to be secure at the foundations and abutments. In the case of a typical overpass beam bridge with one support in the middle, construction begins with the casting of concrete footings for the pier and abutments. Where the soil is especially weak, wooden or steel piles are driven to support the footings. After the concrete piers and abutments have hardened sufficiently, the erection of a concrete or steel superstructure begins. Steel beams are generally made in a factory, shipped to the site, and set in place by cranes. For short spans, steel beams are usually formed as a single unit. At the site, they are placed parallel to each other, with temporary forms between them so that a concrete deck can be cast on top. The beams usually have metal pieces welded on their top flanges, around which the concrete is poured. These pieces provide a connection between beam and slab, thus producing a composite structure. For longer spans, steel beams are made in the form of plate girders. A plate girder is an beam consisting of separate top and bottom flanges welded or bolted to a vertical web. While beams for short spans are usually of a constant depth, beams for longer spans are often haunched—that is, deeper at the supports and shallower at mid-span. Haunching stiffens the beam at the supports, thereby reducing bending at mid-span. The main part of the bridge compresses the