Bridges

Prof. Anthony Cioffi, P.E.

Professor/Chairman
New York City College of Technology/CUNY
How are Bridges Used?
• Walkways
• Highways/Roads
• Railways
• Pipelines
• Connecting Lands
• Crossing Rivers
• Stadiums
• Roofs
 Arch Types of Bridges
 Truss

 Cantilever

 Cable-Stayed

 Suspension

 Beam

 Moveable
 What Makes a Bridge Stay Up?

• Forces – 2 Types
1st - Compression
> Pushing or Squeezing Force

2nd - Tension
> Pulling or Stretching Force
 Arch Bridges
• Keystone – the wedge-
shaped stone of an
arch that locks its
parts together
• Abutments – the
structures that
support the ends of
the bridge
 Arch Bridges
• How Does it Work ?
“Compression”
 Arch Bridges
• Where have you seen these bridges?

Bayonne Bridge – N.J. Sydney Harbor Bridge

Hoover Dam Bridge

Apollo Bridge - Slovakia

 Steel Arch Bridge
• Where have you seen these bridges?

High Bridge (officially, the Aqueduct Bridge)

Bronx, N.Y.
Hell Gate Arch Bridge, New York, Connecting Railroad Bridge from Queens
 Cable-Stayed Bridges
• Piers – Supports the Towers
• Towers – Support the Cables
• Cables – Thick Steel Ropes from which the decking
is suspended
• Decking – Supports the Roadway
Tower
Cable

Deck

Pier
 Cable-Stayed Bridges
• How does it Work?
Tension & Compression
 Cable-Stayed Bridges
• Where have you seen these bridges?

Abdoun Bridge – Amman, Jordan

Puente de la Unida – Mexico

Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge

São Paulo - Brazil.
Zakim Bridge, Boston, MA
Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa, FL
 Suspension Bridges
• Similar to Cable-Stayed
> Uses Cables for Support

Tower

Cable Suspender Cable

Deck

Pier
Abutment
 Suspension Bridge
• How does it Work?
Tension & Compression
 Suspension Bridges
• Where have you seen these bridges?

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge - Japan Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Virginia
Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, NY
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, New York City
 Truss Bridge
Top Chord Diagonal
End Post

Hip Vertical

Deck Vertical Bottom Chord

Support (Abutment)
 Truss Bridges
• How does Work? Tension& Compression
 Truss Bridges
• Where have you seen these bridges?

Francis Scott Key Bridge -

Betsy Ross Bridge – Philadelphia, PA
Maryland, USA
Under Truss Bridge
 Truss Connections

NY-79 Bridge
Broome County, New York
Warren
 Cantilever Bridge
• Where have you seen these bridges?

Firth of Forth-Forth Rail Bridge Bluewater Bridge -Port Huron Michigan

Edinburgh, Scotland
 Pierre Pflimlin Bridge - France

59th Street Bridge – N.Y.C.

 Beam Bridge
• Where have you seen these bridges?

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

 Moveable Bridges

Bascule Bridge
Swing Bridge
Woodrow Wilson Bridge-Virginia

London Bridge

Lift Bridge
Questions?
 Build a Bridge

Open the Secret Envelope!