Bridges : The Science and Art of the World's Most Inspiring Structures

The Brooklyn Bridge, London's Tower Bridge, Sydney's Harbour Bridge, San Francisco's Golden Gate--bridges can be breathtakingly monumental structures, magnificent works of art, and vital arteries that make life vastly easier. In __Bridges__, eminent structural engineer David Blockley takes readers on a fascinating guided tour of bridge construction, ranging from the primitive rope bridges (now mainly found in adventure movies), to Roman aqueducts and the timber trestle railway bridges of the American West, to today's modern marvels, such as the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, which has the largest span in the world. Blockley outlines the forces at work on a bridge--tension, compression, and shear--and the basic structural elements that combat these forces--beams, arches, trusses, and suspensions (or BATS). As he does so, he explores some of the great bridges around the world, including such lesser-known masterpieces as the Forth Railway Bridge (featured in Alfred Hitchcock's __The Thirty-Nine Steps__), and describes some spectacular failures, such as the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota or the famous failure of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940. For instance, Blockley discusses the London's Millennium Bridge--the blade of light across the Thames--which displayed an alarming wobble when opened. He explains that when people walk, they not only exert force directly forward, but also exert a lesser force to the side, and the Millennium Bridge engineers did not consider this tiny lateral movement in their otherwise meticulous design. Amazingly enough, this minor omission caused a wobble severe enough to close the bridge for two years. Bridge building is a magnificent example of the practical use of science. But as Blockley shows in this illuminating book, engineers must go beyond science, blending technical experience and creativity to build the spans that connect us all. Bridges touch all our lives - every day we are likely to cross a bridge, or go under one. How many of us stop to consider how the bridge stands up and what sort of people designed and built something so strong? Bridge building is a magnificent example of the practical and every day use of science. However, the story of bridges goes beyond science and technology, and involves issues relating to artistic and cultural development. After all, bridges are built by people, for people. Bridges can be icons for whole cities; just consider New York's Brooklyn Bridge, London's Tower Bridge, and Sydney's Harbour Bridge. Such bridges can be considered functional public art, as they have the power to delight or be an eyesore. David Blockley explains how to read a bridge, in all its different forms, design, and construction, and the way the forces flow through arches and beams. He combines the engineering of how bridges stand up with the cultural, aesthetic, and historical importance they hold. Drawing on examples of particular bridges from around the world, he also looks in detail at the risk engineers take when building bridges, and examines why things sometimes go wrong. Bridges touch all our lives - every day we are likely to cross a bridge, or go under one. How many of us stop to consider how the bridge stands up and what sort of people designed and built something so strong? Bridge building is a magnificent example of the practical and every day use of science. However, the story of bridges goes beyond science and technology, and involves issues relating to artistic and cultural development. After all, bridges are built by people, for people. Bridges can be icons for whole cities; just consider New York's Brooklyn Bridge, London's Tower Bridge, and Sydney's Harbour Bridge. The author explains how to read a bridge in all its different forms, designs and constructions. He combines the engineering of how bridges work with the cultural, aesthetic, and historical importance they hold-- Source other than Library of Congress

Bridges have fascinated humans for centuries: they symbolize cities and represent power, wealth, and grandeur in their strength and soaring forms; they cross barriers-physical, cultural and spiritual. They are a metaphor for relationships between people.

In this absorbing account, David Blockley celebrates the science, art, and craft; the engineering skills and the teamwork involved in building a bridge. Taking us through the flow of forces in structures such as arches and beams, he leaves the reader able to 'read any bridge like a book'.

Bridges Are Bats : Why We Build Bridges -- Underneath The Arches : Bridges Need Good Foundations -- Bending It : Bridges Need Strong Structure -- All Trussed Up : Interdependence Creates Emergence -- Let It All Hang Down : Structuring Using Tension -- How Safe Is Safe Enough? : Incomplete Science -- Bridges Built By People For People : Processed For Joined-up Thinking. David Blockley. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 297-299) And Index. Bridges are bats : why we build bridges Underneath the arches : bridges need good foundations Bending it : bridges need strong structure All trussed up : interdependence creates emergence Let it all hang down : structuring using tension How safe is safe enough? : incomplete science Bridges built by people for people : processes for joined-up thinking. Bridges are remarkable structures. Often vast, immense, and sometimes beautiful, they can be icons of cities. David Blockley explains how to read a bridge, how they stand up, and how engineers design them to be so strong. He examines the engineering problems posed by bridges, and considers their cultural, aesthetic, and historical importance.