Speaking of bridges

As has been reported in the media, the team of OMA and Olin has been selected for DC's 11th Street Bridge Park project ("Architects OMA and Olin Studio selected to design 11th Street" and "Shaping the City | DC bridges to be site of mixed-use projects," Washington Post), which I'll get around to writing about at some point.

-- I did write a bunch of pieces on the project in July and August.

And every year, the American Society of Civil Engineers releases a report on the state of good repair of the nation's infrastructure.

-- ASCE'S 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure

In the meantime, the Ohio University Online Masters program in Civil Engineering has produced a nifty infographic about the five different types of bridges, which helps us understand some of the particulars behind bridges, which are key connecting "devices" in many cities, given that some of the world's biggest cities sprouted around rivers and bays.

• Clapper Bridges:  Made of unmortared stone slabs built on piers in the water and are amongst the oldest around.
• Beam Bridges: In their simplest form, Beam Bridges are two piers at either end with a plank spanning the gap. Beam bridges rarely span more than 250 feet.
• Truss Bridges: Truss Bridges are composed of load bearing triangular structures (a truss) with the platform on top.
• Arch Bridges: Arch Bridges have an abutment at either end and are shaped in the form of an arch.
• Suspension Bridges: Suspension Bridges use cables suspended from large anchorage structures connected to the ground.

Ohio University Online