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Suspension Bridge at Location D Essay

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I think a suspension bridge would be the best type of bridge to build from location D. This is because suspension bridges typically can span distances from 2,000 to 7,000 feet long - location D spans a distance of 4,200 feet across an ocean bay where long ships come and go. The other bridges would not be adequate enough to connect Hebron Island with the mainland. For example, an arch bridge cannot be connected numerous times in the ocean without structural support from the ground, and can only span short distances usually less than 800 feet. A beam bridge would not be a suitable option either because they typically can only span distances below 200 feet, and connecting many beam bridges together would not work either, because long ships …show more content…

Though sturdiness is a major advantage, a significant drawback to building a suspension bridge is the costs. Steel is an expensive material to construct long, massive suspension bridges out of. Our bridge will have to span a long distance of 4,200 feet and constructing a bridge of steel for such a great distance will definitely be pricey. The costs of building a suspension bridge is very high and they tend to be the most expensive type of bridge to build. In addition, over time, steal is a material that can deteriorate quickly due to corrosion as stated by the Understanding Bridges video. Proper inspections need to be conducted often to ensure the safety of the passengers traveling on the bridge.
When building the bridge, weather conditions are a major factor to take into consideration. For example, when it is windy, a suspension bridge will sway from side to side or even bounce up and down, making transportation dangerous for those traveling on the bridge. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a very good example of this type of structural failure. It was built to withstand winds up to 120 mph but it collapsed in a wind of only 42 mph after oscillating back and forth repeatedly. Since suspension bridges are susceptible to wind, it is always a challenge for engineers to keep the vertical and lateral swayings within safe limits. Transporting the equipment to build a bridge above such a huge mass of water

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