History of the Modern Suspension Bridge: Solving the Dilemma between Economy and Stiffness

Abstract

• "When he was thinking about how to build a bridge across the River Tweed, Sir Samuel Brown stopped while observing a spider's web. Right at this time he discovered the suspension bridge." —Charles Bender, 1868.

  The English translation of Tadaki Kawada's landmark book traces the modern suspension bridge from its earliest appearance in Western civilization only 200 years ago to the enormous Akashi Kaikyo and Storebaelt bridges completed at the end of the twentieth century. This book examines the conflicts, the bridge collapses, the colorful personalities, and the advancements that have shaped the development of the suspension bridge. From John Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge to the legendary rivalry between Othmar Ammann and David Steinman, from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse in 1940, which Kawada explores in depth, to the closing of London's Millennium Bridge just three days after its opening, this book is a complete history of the modern suspension bridge—with a focus on the two essential factors in suspension bridge design, economy and stiffness, which are always in competition with one another. How do engineers reinforce the suspension bridge against the elements of wind and traffic, without sacrificing economy?

  This book will appeal to anyone interested in engineering history and suspension bridges. Practicing engineers will find the charts, tables, and design formulas especially valuable.