How to Build a Bridge
How to Build a Bridge
Building a bridge is not an every day task, you do not see bridges going up overnight and it takes a skilled engineer to master this craft. Bridges can take months, possibly even years to build. Building a bridge requires the hands of many, many men.
This will be a basic overlook of what an engineer will need to take into account when and before constructing this massive hunk of compounded steel and concrete mortar mass.
Part one: The first order of business that you will need to take into account is what type of bridge you need for your task. The most common types of bridges are arch, suspension, truss, cable-stayed and beam. If you plan on building a short run bridge, you may want to consider building a small truss bridge. As another example, if you are crossing a river or would be in need of elevation, an arch bridge would be a divine choice.
Part two: Once the design has been finished and approved, you may begin building. This will involve excavation or filling the banks on each side, leveling the ground floor where the supports will be placed and, depending on what type of bridge is going to be built, pouring concrete.
Part three: The bridge will need a deck; this is where you should start building. This is usually concrete, but can also be aluminum. Most of these new materials are a more dense composite material that will not rust, or corrode away.
Part four: One of the last steps, probably the most important, would be to pave the bridge. You should do this with commercial paving machines for safety and time management. The city or state that this bridge is being built in might include some type of funding for the project and
might also include a re-paving of the surrounding streets and roads as well.
When this is all finished, call a town or city meeting and roll out the red carpet. After months or even years later, this can be one of the most satisfying moments of your life to know that you have achieved your goal.