Wednesday 10 February 2016

The Basics of Bridge Design

You do not have to be a construction engineer to understand some of the principles and concepts involved in the design and construction of bridges. In fact, the basic structural component of bridge construction and design can be reduced to the acronym BATS. This is an abbreviation for beams, arches, trusses and suspensions. Once you get the principles right, you can design and construct simple and complex bridges. Three of the most common bridge designs are the beam bridge, the arch bridge and the suspension bridge. Visit us here.


The beam bridge is also called a girder bridge. All you need for this bridge are two supports (one at each end) and a horizontal structure (a beam). This bridge is constructed to endure both compressional and tensional stress. The first arch bridge was constructed over 2,000 years ago but it is still popular today. In this type of bridge, compression is distributed throughout the entire form of the bridge. In the suspension bridge, cables, ropes or chains are used to suspend the roadway. The suspension bridge is anchored on two strong towers and this makes it very safe. Click here for more info.

Final word
As stated already, bridge design is all about getting the concept right. Once the principles are properly applied, they can be used to design and construct any type of bridge.