Friday, 26 June 2015

The history of building bridges.


Most often, bridges create a wonder in our thoughts. How has technology made the construction of bridges possible? What is special about bridges? Bridges are built to bring together the hearts to hearts, souls to souls, cities to cities and nations to continents. Bridges are built to make the crossing over easier and quicker. They are an amazing means to help you touch the sky or at least feel it. Not sure if the construction of the largest and the longest bridge is finished. The mankind has always been expecting and achieving more from themselves. Solvemyproblemm.com takes you to a tour of most amazing bridges in the world that will pull out a nature lover or an adventure out of you. Few bridges have history, few have high end state of art technology and few are born from nature. Let decipher the mysteries behind them.  

What are bridges?
Bridges can be defined as a structure which helps to cross over valleys, seas, oceans, dense jungles or dangerous terrains. Bridges can be natural or man-made. Bridges can be built of simple, easily available material or with strong and sturdy material.

Bridges are built to close gaps and make access easier, let us find out when did the making of bridges actually  originate.
Where and when were bridges made?

The Mesopotamians were the first to think of making bridges in the ancient times. They made bridges to cross over steep mountains, hilly terrain, swift rivers and the deep sea. The Romans were the next to go deeper into the art of making bridges.
So, the advancement of early civilization led to the concept of constructing bridges.
What materials were used to make bridges in ancient times?

In the beginning  people used simple and natural easily available materials like logs of trees, stones, rocks and mounds of soil. The Romans then discovered that  volcanic rock when ground and mixed with water and grainy soil made good quality mortar, which helped in making stronger bridges. Civil engineering Experts of Solvemyproblemm.com says, a bridge construction have taken few months to ages. It is not just the rocks, cement, steel and iron that enhances its age but an adept construction too.
What are modern bridges made of?

As time passed and bridges became a 3000 year old reality, the methods and materials used for making bridges also underwent a drastic change. Now a days, bridges are made up of wrought iron and steel. As bridges are an archway to heaven are built high up in the clouds, they have to be strong and pleasing, so let us learn more about these passages which join.
Which are the different types of bridges?
The Foundation Engineering Expert speaks about, what are the foundation features of bridges types. While the Civil engineering expert debates about various types of bridges. The different types of bridges are-
A.      Arch bridges- are the most common type of bridges found all over the world.

B.      Suspension bridges-  are bridges usually built to cross over rivers and valleys.

C.      Cable stayed bridges-  is a more refined version of a suspension bridge.

D.     Truss bridges-  are or were made of wood and now steel. They were the first of their kind of modern bridges.

E.      Cantilever bridges-   are one of the strongest and safest bridges built to carry over railroads and heavy loads.

F.       Tied-arch bridges- are built in places where the soil is loose and unstable.

G.     Beam bridges- are the mother of all bridges. The simple concept of a tree falling over a flowing river and making crossing easier.

H.     Footbridges- is a pedestrian crossing simple bridge used to cross a river, road traffic or a railway crossing.

I.        Moveable bridges-  were built to protect the castles and stop the enemy army from reaching it. They are now built in places where a cheap form of crossing over is needed.

As thousands cross over never to return, the bridges stand firmly in their places, joining the past to the future.
Which are some of the famous bridges of the world?
There are bridges which have historical significance. Some of the bridges which one tends to remember are-
1.      Golden Gate Bridge- San Fransisco, USA. It is the 11th longest bridge in the world

2.      Tower Bridge, London, England is built over the River Thames and is one of the most visited bridges in the world.


3.      Sydney Tower Bridge- Sydney, Australia is an arch bridge made of steel and the pride of Sydney.

4.      Brooklyn Bridge- NewYork, USA is one of the longest and oldest  suspension bridges in the USA and is a tourist attraction.

5.      The Great Belt Bridge- Denmark is the third longest suspension bridge and the eighth tallest bridge in the world.

As one crosses over from childhood to youth to middle age to old age on the bridge of life, one remembers the bridges of time from past to present, till eternity will the bridges of the world stand.

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