Both a history and a guide, this book offers scenic tours to all 106 of Vermont's covered bridges and tells the rich stories behind them. For many people, covered bridges are much more than picturesque: They represent a living link with an alluring part of our past. Along with a sense of romance, we associate them with an era of hard work, creativity, and ingenuity. Each bridge sparks a new question: Why was it built, how, when, and by whom? How has it lasted when so many others have disappeared? This guide will answer these and many other questions about all 106 of Vermont's authentic, historic covered bridges. Arranged by convenient driving tours, it provides precise directions to help travelers find each bridge--touring through the most scenic countryside along the way--and shares each bridge's history and folklore. Advice on photographing the bridges, parking, and finding nearby historical sites and museums is also included in each tour. An introduction tells the colorful story of "the great truss race" in the early days of bridge architecture and design. Detailed scenic driving tours make this book useful to anyone exploring the back roads of Vermont. Superb maps mark the location of all 106 covered bridges. 60 black-and-white photographs.

In this comprehensive classic manual, the author describes the use of timber as bridge material, types of timber bridges, the properties of wood and wood products, preservation and protection of timber bridges, timber design concepts for bridges, loads and forces on timber bridges, design of beam superstructures, design of longitudinal deck superstructures, design of longitudinal stress-laminated deck superstructures, rail systems for timber decks, wearing surfaces for timber decks, timber bridge fabrication and construction, bridge inspection of decay and other deterioration, maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement of timber bridges. This is a digitally recreated publication of the original manuscript (1990), comprising over 900 pages, produced in its entirety. Wood was probably the first material used by humans to construct a bridge. Although in the 20th century concrete and steel replaced wood as the major materials for bridge construction, wood is still widely used for short- and medium-span bridges. Of the bridges in the United States with spans longer than 20 feet, approximately 12 percent of them, or 71,200 bridges, are made of timber. In the USDA Forest Service alone, approximately 7,500 timber bridges are in use, and more are built each year. The railroads have more than 1,500 miles of timber bridges and trestles in service. In addition, timber bridges recently have attracted the attention of international organizations and foreign countries, including the United Nations, Canada, England, Japan, and Australia.

With a total span length of 8,344 feet from anchor block to anchor block, the Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world. It surpasses the Golden Gate Bridge, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and the Humber Bridge in England, even with their longer center spans. Every phase of construction of the Mackinac Bridge was photographed. The pictures in this book, selected from 3,000 black-and-white photos, document important stages of the monumental undertaking. Captions detail the procedures used during construction. The result is a volume which captures the struggles and the hardships, as well as the determination and the pride of the men who labored to build Mighty Mac.

The project-the longest total suspension bridge in the world-would span the Starits of Mackinac where winds exceed eighty miles an hour and ice windrows reach a height of forty feet. It would connect two largely rural communities with a combined population of less than four thousand and would require the largest bond issue ever proposed for the construction of a bridge. Little wonder that some Wall Street investors labeled the proposition as ludicrous. Nonetheless, the Mackinac Bridge became a reality.

This book introduces 53 bridges that the author designed during his period teaching at Dalian University of Technology (1984-2014). The bridges have unique features; some bridges are the first of their kind in China, while the others are the biggest in size. For example, Jinma Bridge is the longest single concrete, single-plane, cable-stayed bridge in the world and Xinghai Bridge is the first double-deck, steel truss suspension bridge being constructed in the Sea of China. Innovation and reasonable structure designs must meet the requirements of applicability, economy, safety, artistic appearance and endurance. Innovation and rational stress are the main concern when considering bridge functionality. Only innovation can make new bridges surpass previously designed bridges. Only rational stress can save materials and reach the requirements of economy, safety and endurance. Teachers, students and engineers engaged in bridge engineering will be inspired from the designing concepts and methods within this book. The author compiles thirty years of work and dedication in the field and shares his discoveries with the readers who are interested in bridge design and functionality.

The United States has approximately 607,000 bridges on public roads subject to the National Bridge Inspection Standards mandated by Congress. The sudden catastrophic failure of the I-5 Interstate System bridge in Washington State has raised policy concerns in Congress regarding the condition of the nation's transportation infrastructure in general, and in particular the federal role in funding, building, maintaining, and ensuring the safety of roads and especially bridges in the United States. This book discusses highway bridge conditions. It then continues to provide information on a Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program that is intended to provide a comprehensive definition of bridge performance that will be the foundation for carefully designed research studies in the LTBP Program.

From a low road bridge crossing the Fosse Way near Trewsbury Mead to the towering Queen Elizabeth Bridge linking Kent to Essex, the River Thames is crossed by over 200 bridges, some simple wooden or stonework structures, others magnificent architectural constructions. Stretching across the southern counties of England, starting as a trickle in a Gloucestershire meadow to the vast expanse of tidal water leading into the North Sea, the course of the River Thames defined local kingdoms, tribal lands and later the counties situated to the north and south of the river. Throughout this time, although London Bridge was the first permanent structure to traverse the river in London, other bridges crossed the Thames further upstream, first simple structures erected for moving livestock and carts from one field to another, where the waterway dividing farmland and pasture was too wide or too strong to cross by fording, then new building techniques made it possible for carpenters and stonemasons to construct permanent structures to link communities, hamlets, villages and towns. Of the 200 bridges many have fascinating stories to tell, of their construction and historical events which surround them, from prehistory and Roman times up to the twenty-first century. In this book author David C. Ramzan explores the economic and social history of these Thames bridges, some unassuming, but no less important, while others are unique in design and construction.

The covered bridge has long been a symbol of Indiana's past, evoking feelings of romance and nostalgia. These feats of engineering span the rivers and streams that crisscross the county. Jeremy Boshears' photographs capture the beauty of the bridges dotting the riverbanks of Monroe County. With 121 color photographs, The Covered Bridges of Monroe County will appeal to everyone who treasures these iconic structures.

The Forth Bridge has long been recognised as one of the finest examples of Victorian engineering on the planet and has achieved an iconic status as one of the great feats of western civilisation since its official opening in 1890. Lavishly illustrated throughout with stunning archive images, Elspeth Wills uncovers the human story behind 'the engineering marvel': the story of the Briggers. It is a story that has never been told before - of ordinary men working on an extraordinary structure in an often hostile and dangerous environment. Recognised throughout the world as an enduring icon of Scotland, the Forth Bridge is more than just a testament to the genius of Victorian engineering, it is a monument to all those who worked to realise its vision and to the scores of lives that were lost in the process. In this groundbreaking new work, Elspeth Wills gives a voice to the forgotten heroes who helped to make the ambition of the Bridge a reality.

Fully updated coverage of the entire bridge engineering process Revised to reflect the latest codes, standards, and technical advances, this practical reference covers every aspect of highway bridge engineering and management. Bridge Engineering: Design, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance of Modern Highway Bridges, Fourth Edition, features the latest analysis, design, and construction methods as well as up-to-date information on materials and components. Cutting-edge maintenance and repair techniques are explained in complete detail. Real-world case studies and detailed photos and illustrations are provided throughout. Coverage includes: * Highway bridge structures * Project inception and funding * Design standards * Bridge inspection and site survey * Physical testing * As-built plans and other record data * Superstructure and deck types * Wearing surface types * Deck joint types * Design loads and methods * Internal forces and load distribution * Concrete deck slabs * Composite steel members * Plate girders and continuous beams * Protecting steel superstructures * Load rating * Prestressed concrete * Substructure design * Abutments and piers * Bearings * Managing the design process * Contract documents * Bridge management systems

As an in-depth guide to understanding wind effects on cable-supported bridges, this book uses analytical, numerical and experimental methods to give readers a fundamental and practical understanding of the subject matter. It is structured to systemically move from introductory areas through to advanced topics currently being developed from research work. The author concludes with the application of the theory covered to real-world examples, enabling readers to apply their knowledge. The author provides background material, covering areas such as wind climate, cable-supported bridges, wind-induced damage, and the history of bridge wind engineering. Wind characteristics in atmospheric boundary layer, mean wind load and aerostatic instability, wind-induced vibration and aerodynamic instability, and wind tunnel testing are then described as the fundamentals of the subject. State-of-the-art contributions include rain-wind-induced cable vibration, wind-vehicle-bridge interaction, wind-induced vibration control, wind and structural health monitoring, fatigue analysis, reliability analysis, typhoon wind simulation, non-stationary and nonlinear buffeting response. Lastly, the theory is applied to the actual long-span cable-supported bridges. * Structured in an easy-to-follow way, covering the topic from the fundamentals right through to the state-of-the-art * Describes advanced topics such as wind and structural health monitoring and non-stationary and nonlinear buffeting response * Gives a comprehensive description of various methods including CFD simulations of bridge and vehicle loading * Uses two projects with which the author has worked extensively, Stonecutters cable-stayed bridge and Tsing Ma suspension bridge, as worked examples, giving readers a practical understanding

The Federal Highway Administration 100-Year Coating Study was initiated in August 2009 to identify coating systems that can provide 100 years of virtually maintenance-free service life at comparable costs to the existing coating systems, even in adverse environments. This book focuses on the study and discusses the performance evaluation of one-coat systems for new steel bridges.

The National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program (NHCBP) includes preservation of covered bridges that are listed, or are eligible for listing, on the National Register of Historic Places. It also advocates research for better means of restoring and protecting historic covered bridges, using advanced technology. The book is aimed at the highest form of historic preservation: maintaining the bridge not only physically, but also functionally. While the builder's original form is preserved, the structure continues to serve as a real bridge and not a historical relic. The technology being investigated uses glass-fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) products to increase the strength of the members with minimal increases in x-section. The study also looks at ways to mask the use of the GFRP components. This study is just the beginning of research on this topic. The concept will be refined and amplified in future projects. The book is intended primarily for engineers, contractors, researchers, consultants, bridge owners, and historic bridge preservationists to help them keep these historic structures in full service.

As known, each bridge presents a unique set of design, construction, and maintenance challenges. The designer must determine the appropriate methods and level of refinement necessary to design and analyze each bridge on a case-by-case basis. The Innovative Bridge Design Handbook: Construction, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance encompasses the state of the art in bridge design, construction, maintenance, and safety assessment. Written by an international group of experts, this book provides innovative design approaches used in various parts of the world and explores concepts in design, construction, and maintenance that will reduce project costs and increase structural safety and durability. Furthermore, research and innovative solutions are described throughout chapters. The Innovative Bridge Design Handbook: Construction, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance brings together the specific knowledge of a bevy of experts and academics in bridge engineering in the areas of design, assessment, research, and construction. The handbook begins with an analysis of the history and development of bridge aesthetics and design; various types of loads including seismic and wind loads are then described, together with fatigue and fracture. Bridge design based on material such as reinforced concrete, prestressed reinforced concrete, steel and composite, timber, masonry bridges is analyzed and detailed according to international codes and standards. Then bridge design based on geometry, such as arch bridges, girders, cable stayed and suspension bridges, is illustrated. This is followed by a discussion of a number of special topics, including integral, movable, highway and railway bridges, together with seismic component devices, cables, orthotropic decks, foundations, and case studies. Finally, bridge construction equipment, bridge assessment retrofit and management, bridge monitoring, fiber-reinforced polymers to reinforce bridges, bridge collapse issues are covered.

Due to significant economic growth in the last few decades, increasing traffic loads impose tremendous demand on bridge structures. This, coupled with ongoing deterioration of bridges, introduces a unique challenge to bridge engineers in maintaining service of these infrastructure assets without disruption to vital economic and social activities. This requires innovative solutions and optimized methodologies to achieve safe and efficient operation of bridge structures.

Bridge engineering practitioners, researchers, owners, and contractors from all over the world presented on modern techniques in design, inspection, monitoring and rehabilitation of bridge structures, at the Sixth New York City Bridge Conference held New York City on July 25-26, 2011. This book contains a select number of papers presented at the conference. This group of papers provides a state-of-the-art in bridge engineering and is of interest to any reader in the field.

This proceeding contains a selected number of papers presented at the 2nd New York Bridge Conference that should be valuable to every reader and worker in the field of applied bridge engineering. Topics covered include: cable-supported bridges; and bridge analysis, design and retrofit.

Brucken pragen Landschaften und Stadte, es sind Bauwerke mit hohem Wert fur die Gesellschaft. Sie dienen der UEberwindung von Trennungen, sind Meisterwerke der Technik und AEsthetik und koennen in ihrer individuellen Ausgestaltung Kunstwerke, Wahrzeichen, Denkmaler oder gar Symbole darstellen. Meist handelt es sich um hohe Ingenieurbaukunst, die Meilensteine des technisch Machbaren dokumentiert und nicht zuletzt als Zeugnis der Geschichte dient. Das Buch gibt Einblicke in die Faszination des Bruckenbaus mit Beitragen zur Entwicklung des Bruckenbaus, zu Besonderheiten der Materialwahl, Konstruktionsarten, Instandsetzung und Ausblicken in die Zukunft. Einige beeindruckende Projektbeispiele zeigen, wie es gelingt, den Bogen zu spannen zwischen Technik, AEsthetik und mutigen innovativen Loesungen.