INTODUCTION :
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung
below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern
examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 19th
century. Simple suspension bridges, which lack vertical suspenders, have
a long history in many mountainous regions worldwide.
Besides the bridge type most commonly called suspension bridges,
covered in this article, there are other types of suspension bridges. The
type covered here has cables suspended between towers, with
vertical suspender cables that transfer the live and dead loads of the
deck below, upon which traffic crosses. This arrangement allows the
deck to be level or to arc upward for additional clearance. Like other
suspension bridge types, this type often is constructed without the use
of falsework.
The suspension cables must be anchored at each end of the bridge, since
any load applied to the bridge is transformed into tension in these main
cables. The main cables continue beyond the pillars to deck-level
supports, and further continue to connections with anchors in the
ground. The roadway is supported by vertical suspender cables or rods,
called hangers. In some circumstances, the towers may sit on a bluff
or canyon edge where the road may proceed directly to the main span.
Otherwise, the bridge will typically have two smaller spans, running
between either pair of pillars and the highway, which may be supported
by suspender cables or their own trusswork. In cases where trusswork
supports the spans, there will be very little arc in the outboard main
cables.
MAIN COMPONENTS :
➢ Main cables
➢ Tower(pylons)
➢ Anchorages
➢ Vertical Suspenders (Hangers)
➢ Bridge Deck (Roadway):
➢ Saddles
ADVANTAGE :
Suspension bridges are primarily chosen for their ability to
cross vast distances where other bridge types are physically or
economically impossible. Their design relies on high-strength
cables that distribute weight efficiently, offering several unique
engineering and logistical benefits.
Primary Engineering Advantages
• Longer Spans: They can achieve much longer main spans than
any other bridge type, often reaching over 2,000 meters.
• Minimal Intermediate Supports: Because the deck is suspended,
they require fewer central piers, making them ideal for crossing
deep water or valleys where foundations are difficult to build.
• Material Efficiency: These bridges often require less material
than other types to achieve the same span length, which can lead to
reduced overall construction costs.
• Flexibility: Their inherent flexibility allows them to better
withstand dynamic forces like high winds and earthquake
movements compared to more rigid, heavy structures.
Construction and Operational Benefits
• Uninterrupted Waterways: During construction, very little
access from below the deck is needed after initial cables are
installed. This allows shipping lanes or busy roadways below to
remain fully open.
• High Clearance: Their height enables the passage of exceptionally
tall ships without obstruction, a critical feature for navigable water
channels and busy harbours.
• Ease of Maintenance: Individual components, like deck sections
or suspender ropes, can often be inspected or replaced without
needing to shut down the entire bridge.
• Aesthetic Appeal:
Due to their grand scale and elegant parabolic cables, they are
frequently considered the most visually iconic and beautiful bridge
design.
DISADVANTAGE :
While suspension bridges are engineering marvels for spanning vast
gaps, their inherent flexibility and complex structure introduce
several significant drawbacks. These range from extreme sensitivity
to environmental conditions to limitations in the types of weight
they can safely support.
Vulnerability to Environmental Forces
• Aerodynamic Instability: Because the deck is relatively thin
and flexible, suspension bridges are highly susceptible to
wind-induced vibrations. Without precise aerodynamic
profiling, high winds can cause dangerous swaying or
resonant oscillations—famously illustrated by the Tacoma
Narrows Bridge collapse.
• Sensitivity to Turbulence: Large-scale wind fluctuations can
alter a bridge's effective stiffness and damping, potentially
leading to structural fatigue over time.
• Seismic Risks: While flexible, they are still prone to
vibrations from earthquakes, which may require temporary
closures or expensive retrofitting to ensure stability.
Structural and Load Limitations
• Concentrated Load Struggle: Suspension bridges typically
lack the deck stiffness to handle heavy, concentrated live
loads, such as freight trains. This makes them less common
for regional rail crossings.
• Risk of Catastrophic Failure: The system is highly
interdependent. In some designs, the failure of just a few
critical components, such as a main cable or a primary
anchorage, can potentially trigger a progressive collapse of
the entire structure.
• Restricted Applications: Due to weight and vibration limits,
only specific types of traffic can cross at any given moment,
which can limit regional access during high-congestion
periods.
Economic and Construction Challenges
• High Initial Costs: The specialized high-strength cables and
massive concrete anchorages required are extremely
expensive to manufacture and install.
• Prolonged Construction: These projects are massive
undertakings that take a long time to complete, which can lead
to extended economic disruptions for local businesses and
traffic.
• Foundation Requirements:
In areas with soft or unstable ground, building the massive
foundations for the towers and anchorages requires extensive
and high-ticket engineering work.
TYPES OF SUSPENTION BRIDGE:
Suspension bridges are categorized by their
structural design, anchorage method, and cable
configuration, ranging from simple footbridges
to massive, multi-span structures. The main
types include suspended-deck (classic),
simple, self-anchored, under-spanned, and
stressed ribbon bridges. They are designed to
span long distances by carrying the deck with
vertical cables suspended from main cables
draped over towers
Suspended-Deck Bridge :- (Traditional/Modern):
The most common type for major spans. The deck is
supported by vertical suspender cables (hangers)
connected to main cables that run over towers and
are anchored firmly into the ground at both ends.
Simple Suspension Bridge: These bridges lack
heavy towers and stiffening girders, often serving as
pedestrian walkways or rope bridges. They are
flexible and mostly used for smaller spans, where
the path directly follows the cable sag.
Self-Anchored Suspension Bridge: Unlike
traditional designs, the main cables are anchored
to the ends of the deck itself rather than to
ground-based anchorages. This allows
construction in areas where ground anchoring is
difficult.
Under-spanned Suspension Bridge: Similar to
simple suspension bridges, but designed for
greater strength, these often have trusses
located below the deck, making them suitable
for small-span vehicular traffic.
Stressed Ribbon Bridge: A specialized, highly
durable type where the cables are embedded
directly within the concrete deck. The structure
acts as a rigid, stressed catenary.
HISTORY OF SUSPENSTION BRIDGE:
Suspension bridge is a type of bridge which has
cables between towers (so called “suspension
cables”) and from them vertical “suspender
cables” (or hangers”) that hold the deck.
Suspension cables are anchored at each end of
the bridge and they carry the majority of the
load.
Suspension bridges, as we know them today
and of which the first modern examples were
built in the early 19th century, actually evolved
from the “simple suspension bridges”. These
bridges are one of the oldest types made by
man. They have load-bearing cables but don’t
have towers.
Earliest versions of suspension bridges were
built by Thangtong Gyalpo, Tibetan saint and
bridge-builder (among other things) from the
15th century. He built over 58 iron chain
suspension bridges around Tibet and Bhutan
and one of his bridges survived until 2004 when
it was destroyed by a flood. Most of his bridges
had chains as suspension cables while his early
bridges used ropes from twisted willows or yak
skins.
The first design of a suspension bridge that is
similar to today's modern designs appeared in
book “Machinae Novae” from 1959 which was
written by Venetian polymath Fausto Veranzio.
He also has designs in his book for a timber and
rope suspension bridge, and a hybrid
suspension and cable-stayed bridge using iron
chains.
The first iron chain suspension bridge on the
soil of United States was one made at Jacob's
Creek in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
in 1801. This bridge was the first to have all the
necessary components of a modern suspension
bridge and was designed by James Finley who
patented a system for suspending a rigid deck
from a bridge's cables in 1808. This years is
considered as a begging o the era of the modern
suspension bridges. After that, two bridges were
built in England: Dryburgh Abbey Bridge (built
in 1817) and Union Bridge (built in 1820). The
first large bridge that used the technique
invented by Finley was bridge over the Menai
Straits in Wales built by Thomas Telford and
finished in 1826. Cables consisting of many
strands of wire for suspension were used
instead of chains for the first time in 1930 by
French engineers. Soon John Roebling,
American inventor, found a way to spin the
cables at the place of building instead of
transporting them prefabricated. He also
invented rigid deck platform which is stiffened
with trusses.
Since then suspension bridges became popular
because they allowed to bridge spaces that
could not be bridged with conventional
methods. Its advantages are that it can be made
with longer spans than with other types; it is
cheaper bridge type (even with longer spans)
because it uses less material; during
construction it does not require access from
below so it doesn't matter much what is below
nor how high is bridge; it is more earthquake-
proof than other types; and it can be modified
easily to accommodate wider vehicles or to add
additional lanes. Like everything it also has its
disadvantages: it must be made very stiff or
aerodynamic so high winds wouldn't cause
vibrations; and it is very difficult for to carry
heavy rail traffic compared to other bridge
types because of relatively lower stiffness of a
board.
When compared, suspension bridges are often
compared by the length of their main span
(longest span they have). Akashi Kaikyō Bridge
is the suspension bridge with the longest span
in the world since 1998. Its main span has
1,991 meters in length and it connects Kobe
and Awaji Island in Japan. Second longest
mains pan has Xihoumen Bridge on the
Zhoushan Archipelago, the largest offshore
island group in China with 1,650 meters.
Chushul Chakzam, one of Thangtong Gyalpo's chain bridges, in
1904
The wooden 1808 Burr Suspension Bridge in Schenectady, NY, US,
during demolition in 1871, showing wooden cables.
An early plan for the chain bridge over the Menai
Strait near Bangor, Wales, completed in 1826
STRUCTURE :
Bridge Main Components :
Two towers/pillars, two suspension cables, four suspension cable
anchors, multiple suspender cables, the bridge deck.
Structural analysis :
The main cables of a suspension bridge will form a catenary when
hanging under their own weight only. When supporting the deck,
the cables will instead form a parabola, assuming the weight of the
cables is small compared to the weight of the deck. One can see the
shape from the constant increase of the gradient of the cable with
linear (deck) distance, this increase in gradient at each connection
with the deck providing a net upward support force. Combined with
the relatively simple constraints placed upon the actual deck, that
makes the suspension bridge much simpler to design and analyze
than a cable-stayed bridge in which the deck is in compression.
Spans of 160, 190, 180 and 157 feet on 3 piers began to sag, and 4
supporting piers were added in 1833, making 8 spans.
Comparison with cable-stayed bridge :
Cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges may appear to be
similar, but are quite different in principle and in their construction.
In suspension bridges, large main cables (normally two) hang
between the towers and are anchored at each end to the ground. The
main cables, which are free to move on bearings in the towers, bear
the load of the bridge deck. Before the deck is installed, the cables
are under tension from their own weight. Along the main cables
smaller cables or rods connect to the bridge deck, which is lifted in
sections. As this is done, the tension in the cables increases, as it
does with the live load of traffic crossing the bridge. The tension
on the main cables is transferred to the ground at the anchorages
and by downwards compression on the towers.
Difference Between Types of Bridge
Suspenstion Bridge Cable-Strayed Bridge , fan design
In cable-stayed bridges, the towers are the primary load-bearing structures that transmit the
bridge loads to the ground. A cantilever approach is often used to support the bridge deck near
the towers, but lengths further from them are supported by cables running directly to the towers.
By design, all static horizontal forces of the cable-stayed bridge are balanced so that the
supporting towers do not tend to tilt or slide and so must only resist horizontal forces from the
live loads.
Advantage :
• Longer main spans are achievable than with any other type of
bridge.
• Less material may be required than other bridge types, even at
spans they can achieve, leading to a reduced construction cost.
• Except for installation of the initial temporary cables, little or no
access from below is required during construction and so a
waterway can remain open while the bridge is built above.
• They may be better able to withstand earthquake movements than
heavier and more rigid bridges.
• Bridge decks can have deck sections replaced in order to widen
traffic lanes for larger vehicles or add additional width for
separated cycling/pedestrian paths.
A suspension bridge can be made out of simple materials such as wood and
common wire rope
Disadvantages :
• Considerable stiffness or aerodynamic profiling may be required to
prevent the bridge deck from vibrating under high winds.
• The relatively low deck stiffness compared to other (non-
suspension) types of bridges makes it more difficult to carry heavy
rail traffic in which high concentrated live loads occur.
• Some access below may be required during construction to lift the
initial cables or to lift deck units. That access can often be avoided
in cable-stayed bridge construction.
FORCES :
three kinds of forces operate on any bridge: the dead load, the live load,
and the dynamic load. Dead load refers to the weight of the bridge itself.
Like any other structure, a bridge has a tendency to collapse simply
because of the gravitational forces acting on the materials of which the
bridge is made. Live load refers to traffic that moves across the bridge as
well as normal environmental factors such as changes in temperature,
precipitation, and winds. Dynamic load refers to environmental factors
that go beyond normal weather conditions, factors such as sudden gusts
of wind and earthquakes. All three factors must be taken into
consideration when building a bridge.
Use other than road and rail :
The principles of suspension used on a large scale also appear in
contexts less dramatic than road or rail bridges. Light cable suspension
may prove less expensive and seem more elegant for a cycle or
footbridge than strong girder supports. An example of this is the Nescio
Bridge in the Netherlands, and the Roebling-designed 1904 Riegelsville
suspension pedestrian bridge across the Delaware River in
Pennsylvania. The longest pedestrian suspension bridge, which spans the
River Paiva, Arouca Geopark, Portugal, opened in April 2021. The 516-
meter bridge hangs 175 meters above the river.
Where such a bridge spans a gap between two buildings, there is no need
to construct towers, as the buildings can anchor the cables. Cable
suspension may also be augmented by the inherent stiffness of a
structure that has much in common with a tubular bridge.
Construction sequence (wire strand cable type)
Typical suspension bridges are constructed using a sequence generally
described as follows. Depending on length and size, construction may
take anywhere between a year and a half (construction of the original
Tacoma Narrows Bridge took only 19 months) and a decade (as with
the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge).
1. Where the towers are founded on underwater piers, caissons are
sunk and any soft bottom is excavated for a foundation. If
the bedrock is too deep to be exposed by excavation or the sinking
of a caisson, pilings are driven to the bedrock or into overlying
hard soil, or a large concrete pad to distribute the weight over less
resistant soil may be constructed, first preparing the surface with a
bed of compacted gravel. (Such a pad footing can also
accommodate the movements of an active fault, and this has been
implemented on the foundations of the cable-stayed Rio-Antirio
bridge.) The piers are then extended above water level, where they
are capped with pedestal bases for the towers.
2. Where the towers are founded on dry land, deep foundation
excavation or pilings are used.
3. From the tower foundation, towers of single or multiple columns
are erected using high-strength reinforced concrete, stonework, or
steel. Concrete is used most frequently in modern suspension
bridge construction due to the high cost of steel.
4. Large devices called saddles, which will carry the main suspension
cables, are positioned atop the towers. Typically of cast steel, they
can also be manufactured using riveted forms, and are equipped
with rollers to allow the main cables to shift under construction
and normal loads.
5. Anchorages are constructed, usually in tandem with the towers, to
resist the tension of the cables and form as the main anchor system
for the entire structure. These are usually anchored in good quality
rock but may consist of massive reinforced concrete deadweights
within an excavation. The anchorage structure will have multiple
protruding open eyebolts enclosed within a secure space.
6. Temporary suspended walkways, called catwalks, are then built
using a set of guide wires hoisted into place via winches positioned
atop the towers. These catwalks follow the curve set by bridge
designers for the main cables, in a path mathematically described
as a catenary arc. Typical catwalks are usually between eight and
ten feet wide and are constructed using wire grate and wood slats.
7. Gantries are placed upon the catwalks, which will support the main
cable spinning reels. Then, cables attached to winches are installed,
and in turn, the main cable spinning devices are installed.
8. High strength wire (typically 4 or 6 gauge galvanized steel wire), is
pulled in a loop by pulleys on the traveler, with one end affixed at
an anchorage. When the traveler reaches the opposite anchorage
the loop is placed over an open anchor eyebar. Along the catwalk,
workers also pull the cable wires to their desired tension. This
continues until a bundle, called a "cable strand" is completed, and
temporarily bundled using stainless steel wire. This process is
repeated until the final cable strand is completed. Workers then
remove the individual wraps on the cable strands (during the
spinning process, the shape of the main cable closely resembles a
hexagon), and then the entire cable is then compressed by a
traveling hydraulic press into a closely packed cylinder and tightly
wrapped with additional wire to form the final circular cross-
section. The wire used in suspension bridge construction is a
galvanized steel wire that has been coated with corrosion
inhibitors.
9. At specific points along the main cable (each being the exact
distance horizontally in relation to the next) devices called "cable
bands" are installed to carry steel wire ropes called suspender
cables. Each suspender cable is engineered and cut to precise
lengths, and are looped over the cable bands. In some bridges,
where the towers are close to or on the shore, the suspender cables
may be applied only to the central span. Early suspender cables
were fitted with zinc jewels and a set of steel washers, which
formed the support for the deck. Modern suspender cables carry a
shackle-type fitting.
10. Special lifting hoists attached to the suspenders or from the
main cables are used to lift prefabricated sections of the bridge
deck to the proper level, provided that the local conditions allow
the sections to be carried below the bridge by barge or other
means. Otherwise, a traveling cantilever derrick may be used to
extend the deck one section at a time starting from the towers and
working outward. If the addition of the deck structure extends from
the towers the finished portions of the deck will pitch upward
rather sharply, as there is no downward force in the center of the
span. Upon completion of the deck, the added load will pull the
main cables into an arc mathematically described as a parabola,
while the arc of the deck will be as the designer intended – usually
a gentle upward arc for added clearance if over a shipping channel,
or flat in other cases such as a span over a canyon. Arched
suspension spans also give the structure more rigidity and strength.
11. With the completion of the primary structure various details
such as lighting, handrails, finish painting and paving is installed
or completed.
LONGEST SPANS :
Bridge Country Length Year
United 1410 m
Humber Bridge 1981
Kingdom (4626 ft)
1624 m
Great Belt Bridge Denmark 1998
(5328 ft)
1991 m
Akashi Kaikyō Bridge Japan 1998
(6532 ft)
1490 m
Runyang Bridge China 2005
(4888 ft)
Bridge Country Length Year
1650 m
Xihoumen Bridge China 2009
(5413 ft)
Fourth Nanjing Yangtze 1418 m
China 2012
Bridge (4652 ft)
1545 m
Lee Sun-shin Bridge South Korea 2012
(5069 ft)
Yavuz Sultan Selim 1408 m
Turkey 2016
Bridge (4619 ft)
1550 m
Osman Gazi Bridge Turkey 2016
(5085 ft)
1700 m
Yangsigang Bridge China 2019
(5577 ft)
2023 m
Çanakkale 1915 Bridge Turkey 2022
(6637 ft)
Other examples :
• Union Bridge (England/Scotland, 1820), the longest span (137 m)
from 1820 to 1826. The oldest suspension bridge in the world still
carrying road traffic.
• Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct (USA, 1847), the oldest wire
suspension bridge still in service in the United States.
• John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge (USA, 1866), then the longest
wire suspension bridge in the world at 1,057 feet (322 m) main
span.
• Brooklyn Bridge (USA, 1883), the first steel-wire suspension
bridge.
• Bear Mountain Bridge (USA, 1924), the longest suspension span
(497 m) from 1924 to 1926. The first suspension bridge to have a
concrete deck. The construction methods pioneered in building it
would make possible several much larger projects to follow.
• Benjamin Franklin Bridge (USA, 1926), replaced Bear Mountain
Bridge as the longest span at 1,750 feet between the towers.
Includes an active subway line and never-used trolley stations on
the span.[27]
• San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge eastern span (USA, 2013). The
eastern portion is a self-anchored suspension bridge, the longest of
its type in the world. It replaced a cantilever bridge.
• Golden Gate Bridge (USA, 1937), the longest suspension bridge
from 1937 to 1964. It was also the world's tallest bridge from 1937
to 1993, and remains the tallest bridge in the United States.
• Mackinac Bridge (USA, 1957), the longest suspension bridge
between anchorages in the Western hemisphere.
• Si Du River Bridge (China, 2009), the highest bridge in the world,
with its deck around 500 meters above the surface of the river.
• 1915 Çanakkale Bridge (Turkey, 2022), has the longest main span
of any suspension bridge in the world, crosses the Dardanelles, has
a main span of 2,023 meters.
Famous supension Bridges :
1. Lakshman Jhula – A very famous suspension bridge over the
Ganga River in Rishikesh.
2. Ram Jhula – Another iconic suspension bridge near Lakshman
Jhula.
3. Punalur Suspension Bridge – One of the oldest suspension bridges
in India, built in 1877.
4. Singshore Bridge – One of the highest suspension bridges in Asia.
5. Sudama Setu – A pedestrian suspension bridge near Dwarkadhish
Temple.
6. Chicham Bridge – A very high suspension bridge in the Himalayas.
Pictures :
REFRENCES :
1. [Link]
2. [Link]
3. [Link]
4. [Link]
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