History of bridges of all time. History of Moscow bridges Where the first bridge was built
Even those who have never been to England will recognize him immediately. Every year it is visited by thousands of tourists. Londoners pass through it every day, most likely without even thinking about its history at that moment. This Tower Bridge- one of the symbols of London.
The history of the Tower Bridge, which should not be confused with the neighboring London Bridge, is connected with the nearby Tower of London. In 1872, the English Parliament considered a bill to build a bridge across the Thames. Although the commandant of the Tower was against the idea, Parliament decided that the city needed another bridge that would effectively harmonize with the architecture of the Tower of London. Tower Bridge, as it is today, owes its appearance to the decision of Parliament.
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In the XVIII and XIX centuries The Thames was crossed by many bridges. The most famous of them is London Bridge. By 1750, it became very shaky, and traffic jams constantly formed on the bridge. Vessels from all over the world gathered near the bridge, waiting for a place in the crowded harbor.
At that time, the Thames was literally filled with various ships, so that it was possible to walk several kilometers along the decks of ships standing at the berths.
In February 1876, the London authorities announced an open competition for the design of a new bridge. According to the requirements, the bridge must be high enough to allow massive merchant ships to pass under it, as well as to ensure the continuous movement of people and wagons. About 50 interesting projects were sent to the competition!
Most of the contestants proposed options for high bridges with fixed spans. But they had two common drawbacks: the distance above the surface of the water at high tide was insufficient for the passage of ships with high masts, and the rise to the bridge was too steep for horses pulling wagons. One of the architects proposed a bridge project in which people and wagons climbed a high bridge with the help of hydraulic lifts, the other - a bridge with ring parts and sliding decks.
However, the swing bridge by Sir Horace Jones, the chief architect of the city, was recognized as the most realistic project. Despite all the advantages of the project, the decision to choose it was delayed, and then Jones, in collaboration with the famous engineer John Wolf Barry, developed another innovative bridge, eliminating all the shortcomings of the first in the new project. Barry, in particular, suggested to Jones that the upper walkways be made, which were not included in the original design.
At the request of the municipality, city architect Horace Jones designed a Gothic drawbridge to be built downstream of London. Under such a bridge, ships heading to the docks up the Thames could pass freely. The bridge project had one feature that many considered an original solution.
Horace Jones traveled widely. When he was in the Netherlands, small drawbridges spanning canals inspired him to create a counterweighted drawbridge. Jones and his assistants designed such a bridge and decided to use unusual construction methods, combining steel structures with masonry. This is how the world-famous appearance of the Tower Bridge arose.
After three weeks of heated discussion, the Jones-Barry project was approved. A huge sum of £585,000 was allocated for the creation of a grand structure. The developers of the bridge suddenly became very rich people - their fee was £30,000. Construction began in 1886, but in May 1887, even before the foundation was completed, Jones died suddenly, and all responsibility fell on the engineer Barry. The latter invited the talented architect George Stevenson as his assistant, thanks to whom the bridge underwent a number of stylistic changes.
Stevenson was an admirer of Victorian Gothic architecture and expressed his passion for the design of the bridge. He also decided to put the steel trusses of the bridge on display: the new structural material - steel - was in vogue at that time, and it was in the spirit of the times.
Tower Bridge decorated with two towers, which are connected by two pedestrian crossings, raised to a height of 34 meters above the roadway and 42 meters above the water. Roads from both banks of the Thames lead to the lifting wings of the bridge. These huge canvases weigh approximately 1,200 tons each and open to form an 86-degree angle. Thanks to this, ships with a carrying capacity of up to 10,000 tons can freely pass under the bridge.
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For pedestrians, the design of the bridge provided for the possibility to cross the bridge even during the opening of the span. For this purpose, in addition to the usual sidewalks located along the edge of the carriageway, pedestrian galleries were constructed in the middle part, connecting the towers at a height of 44 meters. It was possible to get into the gallery by stairs located inside the towers. Since 1982 the gallery has been used as a museum and Observation deck.
Only for the construction of towers and pedestrian galleries it took more than 11 thousand tons of steel. To better protect the metal structure from corrosion, the towers were faced with stone, the architectural style of the building is defined as Gothic.
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By the way, these sepia-colored photographs, dated 1892, captured the Tower Bridge under construction, one of the main attractions of Great Britain.
For the past five years, the photographs have lain in a suitcase under the bed of a Westminster resident who wished to remain anonymous, who found them in a dumpster during the demolition of one of the buildings. In addition to the photo, he found several account books. The man says that he took the books to the Tower Bridge Museum and tried to tell the employees that he also had photographs, but they did not even want to listen to him, saying that they already had more than enough photographs. The man admits that he simply did not know what to do with the photographs - and therefore put them in a suitcase and put it under the bed.
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So they would have been lying there if one day the owner of an unusual find did not decide to tell his neighbor Peter Berthud, who works as a guide in Westminster, about the photographs. Peter recalls that he could not believe his own eyes when he saw unique photographs. He spent several days studying albums and documents, trying to find out if these photographs were known to specialists - and found that no one even knew they existed!
Tower Bridge is the lowest bridge in the Thames (it is the first to be encountered if you climb it from the North Sea) and the only one of all bridges that is movable.
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The photographs show the steel base of the bridge, the existence of which many do not even know - after all, the outer part of the bridge is lined with stone. The bridge was designed by Horace Jones, who was succeeded by John Wolf-Barry after his death. It was he who insisted that the bridge be lined with stone.
Peter Berthud calls this photo his favorite. “These people had no idea that they were building a monument of architecture,” he says.
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The bridge got its name due to its proximity to the Tower: the northern end of the bridge is located near the southeast corner of the Tower, and a road runs parallel to the eastern wall of the Tower, which is a continuation of the Tower Bridge.
By the time the Tower Bridge was built, movable structures had long been something of a surprise. But the remarkable thing about Tower Bridge was that its raising and lowering was entrusted to complex machinery. And never before had hydraulics been used on such a scale in bridges. In St. Petersburg, for example, at that time the labor of workers was usually used to build bridges, which was eventually replaced by the work of water turbines powered by the city's water supply.
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The Tower Bridge was powered by steam engines, which rotated the pumps, which created high water pressure in the hydraulic accumulators in the system. Hydraulic motors were “fed” from them, which, when the valves were opened, began to rotate the crankshafts. The latter transmitted torque to the gears, which, in turn, rotated the gear sectors, which ensured the raising and lowering of the wings of the bridge. Looking at how massive the lifting wings were, one would think that the gears had a monstrous load. But this is not so: the wings were equipped with heavy counterweights that helped the hydraulic motors.
There were four steam boilers under the southern end of the bridge. They were fired with coal and produced steam with a pressure of 5-6 kg / cm2, generating the necessary energy to operate huge pumps. When switched on, these pumps supplied water at a pressure of 60 kg/cm2.
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Since power was always needed to draw the bridge, there was a supply of water under huge pressure in six large accumulators. Water from the accumulators flowed to eight engines that raised and lowered the drawbridge. Various mechanisms set in motion, the axis with a diameter of 50 centimeters began to rotate, and the bridge canvases rose. The bridge was raised in just one minute!
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The construction of the Tower Bridge began in 1886 and was completed 8 years later. Grand opening The new bridge was held on June 30, 1894 by Prince Edward of Wales and his wife, Princess Alexandra.
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Peter Berthhood photographing Tower Bridge at his home in London.
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Today, motors run on electricity. But, as before, when the Tower Bridge is raised, the traffic stops, and pedestrians and tourists watch in fascination as the huge wings of the bridge rise.
A warning signal sounds, the barriers close, the last car leaves the bridge, and the controllers report that the bridge is free. The four connecting bolts are silently extended, and the wings of the bridge soar upwards. Now all eyes are on the river. Whether it is a tugboat, a pleasure boat or a sailboat, everyone watches with interest as the ship passes under the bridge.
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A few minutes later another signal sounds. The bridge closes and the barriers go up. The cyclists quickly take their place in front of the line of waiting cars in order to be the first to race across the bridge. A few more seconds, and the Tower Bridge is again waiting for a signal to let the next ship through.
The most curious are not content with just watching the bridge work. They take the elevator up to the north tower, where the Tower Bridge Museum is located, to learn more about the history of its creation and visit an exhibition where an electronic doll introduces visitors to interesting details.
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On the exhibited paintings, you can see how talented engineers worked on the creation of the bridge, and how the opening ceremony took place. And on the stands and old photographs in brownish tones, the majestic building of the Tower Bridge is captured.
From the height of the pedestrian crossing, visitors have a stunning view of London. If you look to the west, you can see St. Paul's Cathedral and the banking buildings in the City of London, as well as the Telecom Tower towering in the distance.
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Those on the east side who expect to see the docks are in for a disappointment: they have been moved downstream, away from the modern metropolis. Instead, the redeveloped Docklands district appears in front of the eye, striking with its buildings and buildings, made in the Art Nouveau style.
Unusual, breathtaking, stunning - this is the view from this famous bridge, business card London. If you find yourself in London, why not get to know Tower Bridge better? This masterpiece of architecture will forever leave indelible impressions in your memory.
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Interesting Facts
In 1968, Robert McCulloch, a businessman from Missouri (USA), purchased the old London Bridge destined for demolition. The bridge was dismantled and transported to America.
Stone blocks, which were built into the reinforced concrete supporting structure of the bridge as a cladding, were installed near the canal near the city of Lake Havasu City, Arizona (USA).
Legend has it that McCulloch bought London Bridge, mistaking it for Tower Bridge, one of the main symbols of foggy Albion. McCulloch and one of the city council members of the capital, Ivan Lakin, who oversaw the deal, deny this interpretation of events.
Tower Bridge in London is a real work of art of architects, as well as the greatest landmark of London and the whole of Great Britain, which at least once, but definitely worth seeing alive.
Official name: Tower Bridge;
Construction type: Suspension bridge, Drawbridge;
Main span: 61 m;
Total length: 244 m;
Application area: pedestrian, automobile;
Crosses: Thames;
Opening: 1894;
Location: Tower Bridge Road, London;
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Each of the wings weighs about two thousand tons and is equipped with a counterweight that minimizes the necessary effort required to raise the bridge in a minute.
Initially, the span was propelled by a water hydraulic system, with an operating pressure of 50 bar. Water was accumulated by two steam plants with a total capacity of 360 hp. The system was created by W. G. Armstrong Mitchell.
In 1974, the water hydraulic system was replaced with an electrically driven oil system. For the convenience of pedestrians, the design of the bridge provided for the possibility of crossing it even during the process of opening the span.
For this purpose, in addition to the standard sidewalks located along the edges of the carriageway, pedestrian galleries were designed and introduced in the middle part, which connect the towers at a height of 44 meters. To get to the galleries was possible with the help of stairs located inside the towers themselves.
Since 1982, the galleries have been used exclusively as an observation deck and museum. It should be noted that the construction of pedestrian galleries and towers required more than 11,000 tons of steel.
To better protect metal structures from corrosion, the towers of the Tower Bridge in London were lined with stone. The architectural style of the constructed buildings is defined as Gothic.
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The total cost of the structure built is £1,184,000.
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The famous building is of course also used as a backdrop for epic scenes.
Let me remind you the history of the construction of several more objects: or, for example, how they built . Well, if you move away from the topic of bridges, then look The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -Petersburg was founded on May 16 (27), 1703: on this day, a fortress was laid on Hare Island, later called Peter and Paul. At the same time, on the right bank of the Neva, on Gorodovoy Island (now the Petrograd side), the construction of wooden houses began.
The oldest bridge in St. Petersburg is Ioannovsky, thrown across the Kronverk channel and connecting the Peter and Paul Fortress with Revolution Square. The bridge was built in 1738.
Obviously, at the same time, a wooden floating bridge was built between the fortress and the island - the first in the young city. Its flooring was supported by logs laid on wooden barges - pontoons. In 1706, the construction of new, brick bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress began, and it was decided to replace the bridge with a stronger one, also made of wood, but based on piles. A German traveler who visited St. Petersburg in 1710-1711 wrote about it that it was "a beautiful drawbridge in two places, having about 300 steps in length." In 1738, it was rebuilt again: the middle part still remained wooden, and stone arches were built near the banks, which can still be seen today. These old stone structures have become the coastal abutments of the modern Ioannovsky Bridge, which leads from the Petrograd side to the eastern, Ioannovsky, gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress. The current Ioannovsky Bridge is a direct “descendant” of the first one, which was built under Peter I. But since then, its appearance has changed: steel beams now rest on new wooden supports. In the 1950s, elegant metal lanterns and railings, made according to samples from the first quarter of the 19th century, were installed on it.
In 1713, through the forests and swamps on the left bank of the Neva, the Great Prospect Road was laid, directed to the Admiralty building. Later, it turned into the main thoroughfare of the city - Nevsky Prospekt. In the place where the road crossed the Fontanka, in 1715 they built wooden bridge. The border of the city then passed along the Fontanka, and there was an outpost here. This bridge was built by soldiers commanded by Lieutenant Colonel M. O. Anichkov, and since then, despite repeated overhauls, it is still called Anichkov. The banks of the Fontanka near the Bolshaya Prospektiva were then low and swampy, and the old wooden Anichkov bridge was almost four times longer than the current one.
Soon on the "Great Preview", there; where it crossed the Moika, another wooden bridge was built. At one time it was painted green, and therefore it was called green bridge. Later, when in the 70s the house of the St. Petersburg police chief general appeared near the bridge, a second name arose - Policeman.
By 1749, there were already about forty wooden bridges in the city. Approximately half of them had movable lifting spans. Many of these bridges were built by the engineer Harman van More, the same one who built the tall wooden spiers of the Admiralty and the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the late 1710s. It is interesting to note that already at that time wooden bridges were often built according to "exemplary", that is, to put it modern language, typical, standard projects.
In the first decades of the 18th century, communication between the banks of the Neva was supported only by boats, and in winter by ice. The construction of the bridge across the main channel of the Neva was fraught with great technical difficulties, and in addition, Peter I himself believed that it would interfere with navigation. However, as the city grew, the need to build it across the Neva began to be felt more and more acutely. Finally, in 1727, the first floating wooden bridge on pontoons was built, connecting the banks of the Neva opposite St. Isaac's Square, approximately in the place where the Bronze Horseman now stands. This bridge stood for only one summer; for the next five years it was not pointed. Only in 1732, the “bombardier-lieutenant” F. Palchikov again built a floating bridge in the same place. There was not enough time to prepare special pontoons, so they decided to use private barges as bridge supports, and the next year they built a floating bridge in accordance with all the rules of building art. Since then, until the middle of the 19th century, the St. Isaac's floating bridge was built every year: at first only during the warm season, and then, from 1779, in winter, along special channels cut through the ice. But for the period of ice drift and freeze-up, the bridge still had to be removed, since the powerful Neva ice could easily damage it.
In 1820, during the reconstruction of St. Isaac's Bridge, carried out by engineers O. Betancourt and G. Treter, stone abutments were made at both entrances, lined with granite and decorated with beautiful rounded stairs. You can still see them now - these are two ledges of the embankment: one is opposite the Bronze Horseman, the other is on the opposite bank, near the building of the former arena.
The bridge itself has not existed for a long time: on June 11, 1916, it burned down from the sparks of a steamer passing along the Neva. In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the main channel of the Neva and its northern branches: Malaya Neva, Bolshaya, Malaya and Srednyaya Neva - were crossed by several floating wooden bridges. In 1758, the Tuchkov bridge was built between Vasilyevsky Island and the Petersburg (now Petrograd) side; in 1786 - Voskresensky, connecting the left bank of the Neva with the Vyborg side, approximately opposite the place where Lenin Square is now located. In 1760, the Kamennoostrovsky bridge was built across the Malaya Nevka, in 1786, the Stroganov bridge across the Bolshaya Nevka near Kamenny Island. In 1825, a floating Trinity Bridge appeared opposite the Field of Mars, linking the city center with the St. Petersburg side. All of them were later gradually replaced by bridges of a permanent type: first wooden, then metal.
Now there is not a single floating bridge in St. Petersburg, and wooden pile bridges still remain: near the Peter and Paul Fortress, on the Kirov Islands and on the Obvodny Canal. But every year their number is decreasing: they are being replaced by modern, more durable bridges made of metal and reinforced concrete.
Source of information: "And bridges spanned the waters width / Bridges hung over the waters" E. V. Plyukhin, A. L. Punin.
Incredible Facts
The bridge is one of the most ancient inventions of mankind. It allows you to overcome physical obstacles in the form of a reservoir, valley or road. However, there are also residential bridges in the world where people live and work. Such bridges are very rare and therefore they are popular among tourists.
Here are 7 residential bridges from around the world:
1. Ponte Vecchio, Italy
The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence. It is believed that it has existed here since the time ancient rome. The modern Ponte Vecchio was rebuilt in 1345, replacing a previous bridge that had been destroyed by a flood. Houses were built on the bridge, which was quite common in the Middle Ages.
Initially, the houses were used as workshops, shops for butchers and tanners. In 1593, Duke Ferdinand I decided to replace them with jewelry shops, as there was too much rubbish and an unpleasant smell due to the shops on the bridge. Today, on the bridge you can find many shops with a wide range of jewelry.
2. Kremerbrücke Bridge, Germany
The Kremerbrücke Bridge is located in the capital of the federal state of Thuringia, the city of Erfurt in Germany. The bridge, on both sides of which there are residential, half-brick houses, is thrown over the banks of the Breitstrom - a branch of the Gera River, which connects Benedikt Square and Wenigemarkt.
Now, out of 32 buildings on the bridge, there are mainly shops and shops. All buildings except houses numbered 15, 20, 24 and 33 are the property of the municipality. The city administration supports the fund for the preservation of this unique historical monument. The largest festival in the city, Krämerbrückenfest is named after the bridge and is celebrated annually in June.
3. Pont de Rogan, France
The Pont de Rogan or Pont Rogan is a residential bridge in the commune of Landerno in northwestern France. This bridge spans the river Elorn. It was built in 1336 and restored in 1510 by the French nobleman Jean de Rogan. Initially, there were two shops, a mill and a prison.
Now there are two rows of houses on both sides, and it is a landmark of the commune of Landerno.
4. Covered bridge, Bulgaria
The covered bridge, as you might guess, is a covered bridge located in the town of Lovech in Bulgaria. The bridge crosses the Osam River, connecting the banks of the old and new towns of Lovech, being its the most recognizable symbol.
After the bridge was almost completely destroyed by a flood in 1872, a famous Bulgarian architect built a new wooden bridge. The whole city worked on the construction of the bridge, from the poor, who built it themselves, to the rich, who donated funds and paid for the work. The building was completed in 1874. Its original length reached 84 meters, it had 6 locks and 64 stores. However, it was completely destroyed in a fire in 1925.
A more modern version of the bridge was built in 1931, and then it was reconstructed again in 1981-82. The bridge currently spans 106 meters and houses 15 shops.
5. Bridge of Merchants, France
The Merchants' Bridge is a historic bridge in the city of Narbonne in southern France. It serves as the basis for a number of houses and shops under which the Robin Canal runs through the old town. It is a segmented bridge 15 meters long.
In Roman times, it was a building of six arches. Previously, goods were transported under the bridge, but now it is a shopping street with shops.
6. Pulteney Bridge, UK
The Pulteney Bridge crosses the River Avon at Bath, England. Its construction was completed in 1773 and it was ranked by the English Heritage Commission as a building of the 1st class of special importance. The bridge was built by Scottish architect Robert Adam in honor of Baswick village heiress Frances Pultney.
It is one of four bridges in the world with shops along its entire length on both sides. Here you can find a flower shop, an ancient map shop and a juice bar.
7. Frome Bridge, UK
This residential bridge is located in the town of Frome northeast of Somerset in England. The Frome Bridge was built in 1667 and houses a building with several shops.
Other unusual bridges people live on:
Bridge House ("House on the Bridge"), UK
Bridge House in Ambleside was built over Stoke Gil Creek over 300 years ago. Perhaps it was a summer house and an apple store. For many centuries, the building on the bridge served as a family home, a souvenir shop, a weaving workshop and an information center.
The building was purchased by local residents in 1926 and given to the British National Trust for Objects of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty.
Old Mill, France
The old mill is the symbol of the commune of Vernon in northern France, spanning two piers of the ancient bridge over the Seine. The mill was probably built in the 16th century and is now the private property of an unknown American heir.
A few years ago the mill was renovated. Her image can now be found on the city's postal logo, and she has often been painted by artists, including the famous Claude Monet.
The first beam bridges
The very first bridges date back to the prehistoric era, including beam bridges made of tree trunks thrown over barriers and suspension bridges woven from vines and other creepers. Written mention of the very first bridge in history, thrown over the Euphrates, dates back to about 600 BC. e. and is contained in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus. There are five main types of bridges, all of which have been known since ancient times. A girder bridge consists of beams or trusses on supports (bulls). The prototype of this design was the trunk of a tree, felled so that it connected the banks of the stream.
Bridge over the Tiber River
The oldest of the bridges that have survived to this day is the Ponte Milvio in Rome, built in 110-109 BC, thrown across the Tiber River.
Since the 19th century girder bridges began to be built of iron, steel and concrete. The first iron girder bridge with box section spans was Britannia Bridge in Wales (1850);
Wheeling Bridge Suspension Bridge
The first suspension (suspension) bridges were creepers or other creeping plants that spread across the river. The first written mention of a chain suspension bridge dates back to 630 AD. e., the first wire rope bridge was the 300-meter Wheeling Bridge in Ohio, USA (1848).
The longest bridges in modern world are suspension bridges on steel wire cables, the first of which was the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, USA (1883). At the end of the XX century. Suspension bridges of another type appeared - cable-stayed, the first of them was the Stormstrund Bridge in Norway (1955).
Ironbridge arch bridge
Arched bridges are more common than others, and were widely used by the Romans for both bridges and aqueducts. The first all-iron arch bridge was called the Iron Bridge and was built in Shropshire, England (1781). The first steel bridge with a through arch truss was the St. Louis Bridge in Missouri, USA in 1874, and the very first reinforced concrete arch bridge was Stauffacher in Switzerland (1898-1899).
Tower Bridge in London
Cantilever bridges, as the name implies, are a structure such as a cantilever that rests on only one end. Beam or truss bridges are located between cantilevers on either side of the obstacle. Cantilever bridges were known in ancient China, but only after the start of steel production did they acquire a significant length. The first steel cantilever bridge with a through truss, the Fraser River Bridge in Canada (1886).
Drawbridges are another type of bridges, resembling lifting, turning and vertical lifting structures. The drawbridge is an early version of the swing bridge, its French name (bascule) comes from the word "swing". The most famous of these types of bridges is the Tower Bridge in London.
Dmitry Demyanov, Samogo.Net (
INTRODUCTION
Bridge - an artificial structure erected across a river, lake, ravine, strait or any other physical obstacle. A bridge erected across a road is called an overpass, a bridge across a ravine or gorge is called a viaduct.
The bridge is one of the oldest engineering inventions of mankind.
The modern trend in the construction of metal bridges is characterized by the desire to save metal and reduce labor costs in the manufacture and installation of span structures. This is achieved by using high-strength steels, using welded structures, effective types of field joints, and introducing progressive economical systems and structures of superstructures.
One of the progressive structural elements of steel superstructures, especially road and city bridges, are orthotropic plates. Such structures perform several functions at the same time: they are the bearing deck of the roadway for the passage of vehicles; wholly or partially play the role-riding belts of the main beams or trusses; eliminate the need for a device in the level of their location of the longitudinal ties of the span structure.
A lot of publications and design materials on steel superstructures with orthotropic slabs are practically inaccessible to students, which significantly complicates course and diploma design.
History of bridges of all time
Primitive bridges, which were a log thrown over a stream, arose in ancient times.
Later, stone was used as a material. The first such bridges began to be built in the era of the slave society. Initially, only the supports of the bridge were made of stone, but then its entire structure became stone. Great success in stone bridge building was achieved by the ancient Romans, who used vaulted structures as supports and used cement, the secret of which was lost in the Middle Ages, but then rediscovered. Bridges (more precisely, aqueducts) were used to provide cities with water. Roman historian Sextus Julius Frontinus wrote that aqueducts are the main witnesses of the greatness of the Roman Empire. Many ancient Roman bridges are still in use today.
In the Middle Ages, the growth of cities and the rapid development of trade necessitated a large number of durable bridges. The development of engineering thought made it possible to build bridges with wider spans, shallow vaults and less wide supports. The largest bridges of that time reach more than 70 meters in span (Fig. 1).
The Slavs use wood instead of stone. The Tale of Bygone Years tells about the construction of a bridge in Ovruch in the 10th century:
Yaropolk went to his brother Oleg in the Derevskaya land. And Oleg went out against him, and both sides were filled. And in the battle that began, Yaropolk defeated Oleg. Oleg, with his soldiers, ran to a city called Ovruch, and a bridge was thrown across the moat to the city gates, and people, crowding on it, pushed each other down. - The Tale of Bygone Years
In the XII century, a floating bridge across the Dnieper appeared in Kyiv (Fig. 2). At that time, arched wooden bridges were the most common in Rus'.
At the same time, rope bridges, which are the simplest form of hanging bridges, are becoming widespread among the Incas.
In the XVI and XVII centuries there was a need for even larger bridges that could pass big ships. In the 18th century, the height of the span of bridges reached more than 100 m. The project of a wooden single-arch bridge across the Nevudlina 298 m, compiled by Ivan Petrovich Kulibin, remained unrealized.
Since the end of the 18th century, metal has been used for construction. The first metal bridge was built in Colbrookdale, UK on the River Severn in 1779 (Figure 3). The height of its span was about 30 m, the ceilings were cast-iron arches.
In the 19th century, the emergence railways required the creation of bridges capable of withstanding significant loads, which stimulated the development of bridge building. Gradually, steel and iron are established as the main materials in bridge building. Gustav Eiffel in 1877 built a cast iron arched bridge across the Douro River in Portugal (Fig. 5). The span height of this bridge was 160 m. The longest in Europe late XIX century there was a bridge across the Volga in Syzran, built according to the project of Nikolai Apollonovich Belelyubsky and amounting to 1443 m in length. In 1900, a medal at the World Exhibition in Paris was awarded to the bridge across the Yenisei in Krasnoyarsk (designed by Lavr Dmitrievich Proskuryakov).
In the 20th century, bridges were also built from reinforced concrete. This material compares favorably with steel in that it does not require regular painting. Reinforced concrete was used for beam spans up to 50 m, and arched - up to 250 m. Metal continues to be used - in the 20th century, large metal bridges were built - beam bridges across the St. Lawrence River in Canada (span length 549 m), across the Kill-van-Kill Strait in the USA (503.8 m), as well as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA (length of the main span - 1280 m).
The largest bridges of our time, including the world's highest Millo Viaduct and the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (the length of the main span is 1991 m), are cable-stayed and suspended. Suspended span structures allow covering the greatest distances.
