Cable and Bridges

History of Cable-stayed bridges:

Cable-stayed bridges have been around for about 40 years ago. In Germany, particularly in Rhine and Elbe rivers, these kinds of bridges were built to replace the bridges that were destroyed during the World War II and these improve the highway transportation system.

Modern cable-stayed bridges were first built in Europe starting from the one in Stroemsund, Sweden (1955), followed by 853-ft main span North Bridge in Dusseldorf, Germany (1957). After a few years, other bridges were built and one of the famous bridges built was the 135-span 5.4-mile Lake Maracaibo Bridge in Venezuela (1962).

In United States, the first cable-stayed bridge is a 361-ft long pedestrian bridge in Menomonee Falls (1971) while the first cable-stayed highway bridge is the Sitka Harbor Bridge in Alaska (1972). The 981-ft Pasco-Kennewick Bridge in Washington (1978), the 1222-ft Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge in Luling, Louisiana (1983), the 900-ft East Huntington Bridge in East Huntington, West Virginia (1985), and the 1200-ft Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, Florida (1986) were the next bridges that were built.

Bridges with record breaking spans were built around the world mostly in 1980s and later. Billington and Namzy [1990] provided us with schematic elevations of 84 of the world's leading cable-stayed bridge made after 1987. In 1993, China's longest cable-stayed bridge, the 1975-ft Shanghai's Yang Pu Bridge, was made. France's longest cable-stayed bridge is the 2808-ft Pont de Normandie that opened in January 1995. This bridge has an innovative construction referred to as longitudinally composite. The Mexico's Tampico Bridge and Japan's Ikuchi Bridge have the same innovative construction as the Pont de Normandie. The longest cable-stayed bridge in the world is Ehime, Japan's 2920-ft6 Tatara Bridge that was due to be completed in 1999.

A suspension bridge is a one where many cables are strung across two or more towers, which supports the majority of the bridge weight and force. The cables run from the towers to the anchorages.

Suspension bridges have benefited our everyday lives since John A. Roebling perfected the suspension bridge design in 1845 and built the Allegheny Suspension Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Placzek). These bridges are better than previous bridges in many ways. Suspension bridges can span greater distances and are much cheaper than other types of bridges, such as beam bridges, which are simply constructed of beams supporting the deck of the bridge, they cannot span as long as these suspension bridges, and are more costly due

The definition of a truss is any of various structural frames based on the geometric rigidity of the triangle and composed of straight members subject only to longitudinal compression, tension, or both: functions as a beam or cantilever to support bridges, roofs, etc. Trusses are the most commonly used structural device used in architecture today. Trusses are used in almost every thing they are in your attic, barns, buildings, and bridges. A truss is used in architecture and engineering, it is a supporting structure made of beams, girders, or rods usually made of steel or wood. A truss usually takes the form of a triangle or combination of triangles, this design is capable of carrying large amounts of weight. Trusses are used for large