Vertical-lift bridge
Ancestor | Truss bridge |
---|---|
Related | Bascule bridge,swing bridge,folding bridge,retractable bridge |
Descendant | Submersible bridge,table bridge |
Carries | Automobile, pedestrians, truck, light rail, heavy rail |
Span range | Short |
Material | Steel |
Movable | Yes |
Design effort | medium |
Falseworkrequired | Depends upon degree of prefabrication |
Avertical-lift bridgeor justlift bridgeis a type ofmovable bridgein which aspanrises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck.
The vertical lift offers several benefits over other movable bridges such as thebasculeandswing-span bridges.Generally speaking, they cost less to build for longer moveable spans.[1]The counterweights in a vertical lift are only required to be equal to the weight of the deck, whereas bascule bridge counterweights must weigh several times as much as the span being lifted. As a result, heavier materials can be used in the deck, and so this type of bridge is especially suited for heavy railroad use. The biggest disadvantage to the vertical-lift bridge (in comparison with many other designs) is the height restriction for vessels passing under it, due to the deck remaining suspended above the passageway.
Most vertical-lift bridges use towers, each equipped with counterweights. An example of this kindwas built in Portland, Oregon, United Statesin 1912.
Another design uses balance beams to lift the deck, with pivoting bascules located on the top of the lift towers.[2]
Examples
[edit]SeeList of vertical-lift bridges.
Gallery of images
[edit]-
One of the vertical-lift bridges over theGouwe River,built in 1930
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ASB Bridge inKansas City, Missouri
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Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridgehas the longest lift span of any vertical-lift bridge in the world
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Hawthorne Bridge(in Portland, Oregon, U.S.), built in 1910, the oldest vertical-lift bridge in the United States[3]
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A lift bridge over theErie CanalatLockport, New York
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A lift bridge, elevated at both ends
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A lift bridge near its upward position, pedestrians may cross when it is raised by using stairways
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Small lift bridge in Nowa Sól, Poland
See also
[edit]- Moveable bridgesfor a list of other movable bridge types
- Submersible bridgefor a similar disappearing bridge
- Table bridgefor a vertical-lift bridge without visible lifting means
References
[edit]- ^Troyano (2003), p.731
- ^Troyano (2003), p.732
- ^Wood Wortman, Sharon; Wortman, Ed (2006).The Portland Bridge Book(3rd ed.). Urban Adventure Press. p. 68.ISBN0-9787365-1-6.
Bibliography
[edit]- Leonardo Fernandez Troyano (2003).Bridge Engineering: A Global Perspective.Thomas Telford Publishing.ISBN978-0-7277-3215-6.
External links
[edit]- Media related toVertical-lift bridgesat Wikimedia Commons