The Clifton Suspension Bridge

3 Pages 851 Words

Introduction
Clifton Suspension Bridge spans across the Avon Gorge in the city of Bristol. The idea originally came from a wine merchant from Bristol who left his entire legacy to the production of a bridge across the Gorge in 1754. (2) After seventy five years a competition was open for engineers to present designs for a new bridge. This was held in 1829 and the engineer chosen was Thomas Telford. The design he produced was later rejected and a second competition was held a year later. Isambard kingdom Brunel was finally assigned the job of head engineer. The bridge was started and after ten years the towers which still stand today were complete. The only problem was that the bridge itself was being held up by political and financial difficulties. (2) The bridge was abandon in 1843 and left to dwindle in the wind. Brunel passed away at the age of fifty three and as a memorial the bridge construction once again started. Finally in 1864 after the wait of a lifetime, at seven hundred and two foot, the Clifton Suspension Bridge was completed.
Originally the bridge design was formed in the nineteenth century to help horse and buggies cross the Gorge. Way ahead of his time Brunel designed a bridge that still today, over a century later and a half later, amazingly holds up for over 12,000 vehicles to cross daily.
Description
The Clifton Bridge has a span of 214 m (702ft) and 26m (69ft) in height. (1) The clearance is 75 m (205ft) and it weighs 1500 tons. (1) A set of three wrought iron chains hang on each side. They are connected to the towers. Each chain is made of eyebars which hang is rows that are parallel. Each chain connects the tower to the bridge separately. In order for the chains to support the bridge they must all do their own job. It would almost be impossible for three connected chains to share the load of the bridge, which is why each is connected separately. The towers are the support of the bridge...