Bridge Building Project Vocabulary

Abutment

the outermost end supports on a bridge, which carry the load from the deck

Anchorage

a secure fixing, usually made of reinforced concrete to which the cables are fastened

Arch Bridge

a curved structure that converts the downward force of its own weight, and of any weight pressing down on top of it, into an outward force along its sides and base

Beam

a rigid, usually horizontal, structural element

Beam Bridge

a simple type of bridge, composed of horizontal beams supported by vertical posts

Bedrock

the solid rock layer beneath sand or silt

Brittle

characteristic of a material that fails without warning; do not stretch or shorten before failing

Buckle

to bend under compression

Cable

a structural element formed from steel wire bound in strands; the suspending element in a bridge; the supporting element in some dome roofs

Cable-Stayed Bridge

a bridge in which the roadway deck is suspended from cables anchored to one or more towers

Caisson

a watertight, dry chamber in which people can work underwater

Caisson Disease

an affliction developed by people moving in and out of caissons quickly; also called the bends and decompression sickness

Cantilever

a projecting structure supported only at one end, like a shelf bracket or a diving board

Cast Iron

a brittle alloy with high carbon content; iron that has been melted, then poured into a form and cooled; can be made into any shape

Compression

a pressing force that squeezes a material together

Concrete

a mixture of water, sand, small stones, and a gray powder called cement

Continuous Span Beam Bridge

simple bridge made by linking one beam bridge to another; some of the longest bridges in the world are these

Dead Load

a structure’s own weight

Deck

supported roadway on a bridge

Dynamic Equilibrium

a state where the object is in equilibrium and in motion

First Condition for Equilibrium

the sum of all forces is zero

Girder

a large beam, usually steel or concrete

Iron

a chemical element; one of the cheapest and most used metals

Live Load

the weight of traffic passing over the bridge

Load

weight distribution throughout a structure

Mechanical Equilibrium

a state wherein no physical changes occur

Pressure

a force applied or distributed per a unit area

Reinforced Concrete

concrete with steel bars or mesh embedded in it for increased strength in tension

Second Condition for Equilibrium

the sum of all torques is zero

Shear

a force that causes parts of a material to slide past one another in opposite directions

Static Equilibrium

a state where the object is in equilibrium and at rest

Steel

an alloy of iron and carbon that is hard, strong, and malleable

Suspension Bridge

a bridge in which the roadway deck is suspended from cables that pass over two towers; the cables are anchored in housings at either end of the bridge

Tensile Strength

the ability of a material to withstand tension

Tension

a stretching force that pulls on a material

Torsion

an action that twists a material

Truss

a rigid frame composed of short, straight pieces joined to form a series of triangles or other stable shapes

Tuned Mass Damper

a mechanical counterweight designed to reduce the effects of motion, such as subduing a bridge deck’s tendency to vibrate

Wrought Iron

an iron alloy that is less brittle than cast iron