Suspension Bridge

Suspension

Of all the bridge types in use today, the suspension bridge allows for the longest spans. At first glance the suspension and cable-stayed bridges may look similar, but they are quite different. Though suspension bridges are leading long span technology today, they are in fact a very old form of bridge. Some primitive examples of suspension bridges use vines and ropes for cables. Typical Span Lengths

70m - 1,000m+

World's Longest

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan

Total Length 3,911m

Center Span 1,991m

A Matsuo Example

Hakucho Bridge

Ohnaruto Bridge

The development of metals brought the use of linked iron bars and chains. But it was the introduction of steel wire ropes that allowed spans of over 500m to become a reality. Today the Akashi Kaikyo bridge boasts the world's longest center span of any bridge at 1,991 meters.

A typical suspension bridge (illustration #1) is a continuous girder with one or more towers erected above piers in the middle of the span. The girder itself it usually a truss or box girder though in shorter spans, plate girders are not uncommon. At both ends of the bridge large anchors or counter weights are placed to hold the ends of the cables.

The main cables are stretched from one anchor over the tops of the tower(s) and attached to the opposite anchor. The cables pass over a special structure known as a saddle (illustration #2.) The saddle allows the cables to slide as loads pull from one side or the other and to smoothly transfer the load from the cables to the tower.

From the main cables, smaller cables known as hanger cables or hanger ropes are hung down and attached to the girder. Some