BUILDING BIG: Bridge Basics
Building an arch bridge isn't easy, since the structure is completely unstable until the two spans meet in the middle. For years, engineers used a technique called centering, in which a wooden form supported both spans until they locked together at the top. A newer method supports the spans using cables anchored to the ground on either side of the bridge. This is how the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia was built.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7sa7SZ6arn1%2BstKO0jpusoqSUnruorsigZpuqmZm0pnvAq5qhl5Kqtq3AjaGrpqQ%3D
Patria Henriques
Update: 2024-08-27