Materials Used in Bridges

Bridges by Materials

Wooden Bridges

• Wood is an excellent natural resource that can be used in small to medium bridges that can support; pedestrian or vehicles with weight limits.
• Wooden bridges seen nowadays are used to transport, people, cars, and livestock over rough terrain or small covered bridges that span small rivers [2].

Stone Bridges

• Stone is another excellent natural resource that can be used to construct large bridges as it is a very heavy and strong material that it can support large loads.
• The Point du Gard aqueduct in France uses stones that is 48.8m high and 275m long that has been stable for two thousand years [2].

Concrete Bridges

• Concrete bridges are strong in compression and weak in tension which is why concrete bridges usually consist of vertical and horizontal beams.
• Concrete with steel bars (rebar) is usually used in these horizontal beams as the steel will carry all the tension. This also protects the steel from corrosion and fire [5]. 

Steel Bridges

• Steel bridges are very strong and light bridges as steel has a high strength to weight ratio. As well, steel is very economical, safe, flexible, easily constructed, and has low maintenance.
• Steel is also the most recycled construction material and by using this in bridges, engineers ae contributing to sustainability management of natural resources.
• Furthermore, steel is the most versatile and effective material for bridge construction as it is able to carry loads in tension, compression, and shear [7].