It can be hard to imagine a world without bridges. Without them, just getting home from a friend’s house might take several days instead of five minutes. Fortunately, the ancient Romans stepped up to the plate. This bridge infographic explores five major bridge designs in our world’s history and examines the people and cultures they connect.
Clapper Bridges
One of the oldest examples of bridge technology is clapper bridges. These types of bridges are constructed of unmortared stone slabs built on stone slab piers in the water and are some of the world’s oldest man-made spans. For example, China’s Anping Bridge was constructed in 1138.
Beam Bridges
In their simplest form, beam bridges are two piers at either end with a horizontal beam spanning the gap. Because of their basic design, they rarely span more than 250 feet. This bridge technology has also lasted for centuries: Switzerland’s Chapel Bridge, Europe’s oldest wooden bridge, is a beam that was built in the 14th century.
Truss Bridge
Truss bridges consist of one or more load-bearing triangular structures topped with a platform. They were largely popularized during the Industrial Revolution and are still common today. This bridge tech still impresses – Japan’s Sky Gate Bridge R was recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the ten greatest civil engineering achievements.
Arch Bridges
Arch bridges consist of one or more arches connected to abutments. They’ve been used for over 2,000 years and can span between 200 and 800 feet. The Roman arch bridge Pons Fabricus was built in 62 BC and is the best-preserved bridge in Rome.
Suspension Bridges
Suspension bridges use cables suspended from large anchorage structures connected to the ground. Modern suspension bridges can span 2,000 feet to 7,000 feet. Spanning 3,460 feet long, the bridge is still a vital lifeline in and out of Manhattan, as it’s used by roughly 140,000 cars every day.
To learn more about the five different bridge technologies in history, check out the infographic below created by Ohio University’s Online Masters in Civil Engineering program.
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<p style="clear:both;margin-bottom:20px;"><a href="http://wp3.onlinemasters.ohio.cds-store.com/blog/bridge-technologies/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/utep-uploads/wp-content/uploads/sparkle-box/2018/03/22120824/bridges-infographic-image.jpg" alt="Bridging the gap infographic" style="max-width:100%;" /></a></p><p style="clear:both;margin-bottom:20px;"><a href="http://wp3.onlinemasters.ohio.cds-store.com/college-of-engineering/masters-civil-engineering/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Ohio University </a></p>Sources
American Society of Civil Engineers, Zhaozhou Bridge (or Anji)
Atlas Obscura, Tarr Steps
BridgesDB, Kapellbrucke or Chapel Bridge – Facts and History
Encyclopedia Britannica, Truss Bridge
History.com, Brooklyn Bridge
History of Bridges, Arch Bridge – Types of Arch Bridges
Livius.org, Rome, Bridge of Fabricius
Maryland Historical Trust, B&O Railroad Potomac River Crossing
Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695)
National Geographic, This Suspension Bridge is Made From Grass
24/7 Wall St, Oldest Bridges in the World