Bridge Over
How is a bridge built over water?
I've always wondered how the engineers construct a bridge over water. Do they actually block the water in order to put the supports down? And what guarantees the supports won't move once in the water? There's constant motion, isn't it?
There are probably as many different ways to build a bridge as there are bridges, and the design of the bridge and building technique often are designed based on the specifics of the situation.
Sometimes a river may be dammed temporarily for the construction. Other times construction may be done from a ship or barge. Piers may be sunk into the riverbed and the support structure and decking pre-built on shore and lifted into place using cranes mounted to the piers. Suspension bridges may be built by running cable over piers and hanging work in progress from the cables. The structure may actually be built as a cantilevered beam until it reaches the other side, often with both sides being built concurrently and meeting in the middle.
There are many factors to consider in addition to the current of the water. Is there seasonal variation in current? Freezing? Variations in water depth? Is there a lot of silt that can cause erosion? What is the composition and stability of the ground, whether underwater or not, where the piers mount? Expansion due to temperature change must be accounted for. The bridge must be able to withstand winds. It needs to provide drainage for rain water.
 |
 POSTCARD WOODSTOCK VA BRIDGE OVER SHENANDOAH RIVER MASSANUTTEN MOUNTAIN $6.99 Time Remaining: 1h 35m |
 USA ALABAMA BLOUNT COUNTY POSTCARD NECTOR COVERED BRIDGE OVER WARRIOR RIVER $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 25m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA ALABAMA LEE COUNTY POSTCARD PEARIDGE COVERED BRIDGE OVER WACOOCHEE CREEK $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 27m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA ALABAMA WEST CULLMAN POSTCARD LEG COVERED BRIDGE OVER CROOK CREEK VIEW $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 28m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA ALABMA DADEVILLE POSTCARD MILLER COVERED BRIDGE OVER TALLAPOOSA RIVER VIEW $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 29m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA ALBAMA POSTCARD RIDDLE MILL COVERED BRIDGE OVER TALLADEGA CREEK GREENERY $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 29m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA CONNECTICUT POSTCARD BULL COVERED BRIDGE OVER HOUSATANIC RIVER ARCHITECTURE $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 33m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA MAINE SANFERVILLE POSTCARD 1980 LOW COVERED BRIDGE OVER PISCATAQUIS RIVER MO $12.25 Time Remaining: 2h 58m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA NEW HAMPSHIRE PASSACONWAY POSTCARD COVERED BRIDGE OVER SWIFT RIVER SCENE $12.25 Time Remaining: 3h 21m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 OLD POSTCARD BRIDGE OVER MISSISQUOI RIVER SWANTON VERMONT HORSE BUGGY $3.00 Time Remaining: 3h 27m |
 USA NEW YORK DELHI POSTCARD FITCHES COVERED BRIDGE OVER DELAWARE RIVER SCENE $12.25 Time Remaining: 3h 40m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA TENNESSEE 1882 POSTCARD ELIZABETHTON COVERED BRIDGE OVER DOE RIVER SCENIC VI $12.25 Time Remaining: 4h 15m Buy It Now for only: $12.25 |
 USA TENNESSEE BRISTL POSTCARD DYING COVERED BRIDGE LOCATED OVER REEDY CREEK $13.60 Time Remaining: 4h 16m Buy It Now for only: $13.60 |
 USA TENNESSEE POSTCARD HISTORIC LANDMARK COVERED BRIDGE OVER CHICKY CREEK VIEW $13.60 Time Remaining: 4h 18m Buy It Now for only: $13.60 |
 SheldonVT The Highway Bridge over the Missisquoi River 1908 $7.95 Time Remaining: 4h 29m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
 PARKING AREA BRIDGE OVER COHOCTON RIVER BATH NY $4.25 Time Remaining: 4h 42m Buy It Now for only: $4.25 |
 1909 Bridge over Tuscarawus Rr Massillon Ohio Post Card $14.99 Time Remaining: 5h 49m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
 ME HINCKLEY BRIDGE OVER MARTIN STREAM VERY EARLY T65225 $15.00 Time Remaining: 5h 52m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 DE Reheboth Beach LINEN c40 NEW BRIDGE over SILVER LAKE $8.79 Time Remaining: 5h 54m Buy It Now for only: $8.79 |
 PENACOOK NH Bridges Over Merrimack River $5.00 Time Remaining: 6h 28m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 CLINTON IOWA RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER MISSISSIPPI RIVER 1920S PUB CLINTON POSTCARD C $2.97 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 7h 26m |
 HARRISBURG PA Camelback Covered Bridge Over the Susquehanna River ca1905 $4.95 Time Remaining: 7h 31m |
 Pike Bridge Over Castleman River Frostburg MD PC 7805 $5.00 Time Remaining: 7h 39m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 1910 POSTCARD OWR N BRIDGE OVER WILLIAMETTE RIVER PORTLAND OR $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 8h 18m |
 Aerial Bridge over the Ship Canal Duluth Minnesota $3.75 Time Remaining: 8h 31m Buy It Now for only: $3.75 |
 Bridge over Charles River at Riverside MA Mass $5.50 Time Remaining: 11h 4m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |
 Postcard New Bridge Over Mississippi LaCrosse Wisconsin $5.00 Time Remaining: 11h 13m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 Bridge over Dam at New Reservoir MOUNT VERNON old PC $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 54m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Bridge over the Ouachita River I 20 Monroe LA Postcard 102411 $4.11 Time Remaining: 12h 59m Buy It Now for only: $4.11 |
 NC BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY BRIDGE OVER STATE HIGHWAY No 80 LINEN UNUSED 11872 $5.75 Time Remaining: 13h 34m Buy It Now for only: $5.75 |
 POSTCARD SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER ROYAL GORGE COLORADO $6.99 Time Remaining: 13h 42m Buy It Now for only: $6.99 |
 Arizona Postcard Bridge Over Fish Creek On The Road to Roosevelt c1910s Unused $6.00 Time Remaining: 13h 50m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 c1910 UNUSED Cambridge Minn BRIDGE OVER RUM RIVER Antique Postcard $3.75 Time Remaining: 13h 58m |
 Northwood Iowa 1911 Wooden Bridge over Park creek IA $4.75 Time Remaining: 14h 8m Buy It Now for only: $4.75 |
 JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA AERIAL VIEW OF THREE BRIDGES OVER THE STJOHNS RIVER $3.99 Time Remaining: 14h 28m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 |
 CO SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER THE ROYAL GORGEON THE DGWRR LINEN UNUSED 040393 $4.99 Time Remaining: 14h 47m |
 CO SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER THE ROYAL GORGE 1053 Ft LINEN UNUSED 040394 $4.99 Time Remaining: 14h 47m |
 CO SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER THE ROYAL GORGE WHITE BORDER UNUSED 040391 $5.75 Time Remaining: 14h 47m |
 Saline Michigan Bridge Over Saline River 1910 PC $8.00 Time Remaining: 15h 19m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 High Bridge 3 Miles E of Osgood Over Laughery Creek PC $9.99 Time Remaining: 15h 25m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Miami Beach FL Forty First St Bridge over Indian Creek Linen Postcard $0.99 Time Remaining: 15h 42m |
 Postcard French King Bridge Over Connecticut River Near Greenfield MA $20.00 Time Remaining: 15h 55m Buy It Now for only: $20.00 |
 1920s BRIDGE over COLUMBIA RIVER BEVERLY WA POSTCARD $3.99 Time Remaining: 16h 6m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 |
 VINTAGE AKRON OH POSTCARD NORTHERN OHIO RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER OHIO CANAL $3.50 Time Remaining: 16h 9m |
 VINTAGE CARTHAGE PIKE BRIDGE OVER MIAMI CANAN ST BERNARD OH PHOTO POSTCARD $4.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 16h 9m |
 FremontOH State Street Bridge over the Sandusky River $3.45 Time Remaining: 16h 21m Buy It Now for only: $3.45 |
 pre 1949 rppc NEW BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER Fort Smith Arkansas AR Postcard y6672 $9.95 Time Remaining: 17h 13m |
 pre 1920 rppc BRIDGE OVER RIVER Quechee Vermont VT Postcard y7299 $9.00 Time Remaining: 17h 48m |
 RPPCForsythMTBridge over YellowstoneRiverC1907 $9.75 Time Remaining: 19h 49m Buy It Now for only: $9.75 |
 1930 45 Suspension Bridge over the Royal Gorge Canon City CO Post Card 00702 $4.50 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 40m Buy It Now for only: $4.50 |
 HUNTS MILLS EAST PROVIDENCE RI RHODE ISLAND MILL BRIDGE OVER RIVER $0.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 2m |
 New Bridge over Mohawk River Barge Canal Herkimer NY $5.50 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 3m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |
 Bridge over Chemung River Elmira NY $5.50 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 7m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |
 Port Jervis NY ERIE RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER NEVERSINK RIVER Postcard $10.00 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 9m Buy It Now for only: $10.00 |
 0212b CLAREMONT NH VINTAGE PC HIGH BRIDGE OVER SUGAR RIVER $2.79 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 42m Buy It Now for only: $2.79 |
 Saint Louis Mo View of the McKinley Bridge over Mississippi River $2.99 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 55m |
 1914 Three Bridges over Green River Greenfield Mass $4.95 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 19m Buy It Now for only: $4.95 |
 New Hartford CT Bridge over Farmington River 1940 $12.99 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 36m Buy It Now for only: $12.99 |
 The Jug Bridge over the Monocacy River Frederick MD $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 49m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Covered Bridge over Sugar Creek at The Narrows Turkey Run State Park IN RPPC $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 53m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Highway Bridge over Dry Devils River Sonora TX RPPC $5.99 Time Remaining: 1d 8h 56m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 RPPC BEDFORD PA NEW BRIDGE OVER JUNIATA RIVER LINCOLN HIGHWAY US 30 $7.35 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 14m Buy It Now for only: $7.35 |
 Vintage color PC PRR Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania 1906 $6.99 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 22m Buy It Now for only: $6.99 |
 Railway Wagon Bridge over Mississippi Quincy Adams County Ill IL Illinois $3.99 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 58m |
 c1910 Brattleboro VT Bridge over Connecticut River postcard $3.50 Time Remaining: 1d 13h 19m Buy It Now for only: $3.50 |
 North Carolina NC High Bridge Over Green River Gorge Western NC Old Postcard $0.60 Time Remaining: 1d 13h 31m |
 Missouri Mark Twain Memorial Bridge over Mississippi River Hannibal Old Postcard $0.60 Time Remaining: 1d 13h 31m |
 Worcester MA New Lake Bridge over Lake Quinsigamond $4.25 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 26m Buy It Now for only: $4.25 |
 Vermont VT Arch Bridge Over Connecticut River Bellows Falls Old Postcard $0.60 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 35m |
 Harrison NJ Bridge over Passaic River c 1905 11 x 14 Matted Print $38.00 Time Remaining: 1d 17h 5m Buy It Now for only: $38.00 |
 CO COLORADO BRIDGE OVER ROYAL GORGE c1918 Postcard $2.99 Time Remaining: 1d 18h Buy It Now for only: $2.99 |
 ClintonIAThe Lyons Bridge over the Mississippi River $6.88 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 1m Buy It Now for only: $6.88 |
 Bridge Over Arkansas River Fort Smith Ark Postcard $8.00 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 30m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 WA VANTAGE BRIDGE OVER THE COLUMBIA RIVER ELLIS PHOTO $7.99 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 15m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Covered Bridge over Ashuelot River West Swanzey NH $5.50 Time Remaining: 2d 13m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |