Structural Engineering Slide Library

Bridge trusses: Cantilever and suspended span

	Image-GoddenD28 Forth Railway Bridge. Completed in 1889, this 4-span cantilever and suspended span bridge was one of the major engineering achievements of its day, and at the time had the world's longest clear spans of 1710 ft. The bridge was built by being cantilevered in a balanced manner about each pier. This procedure included the suspended spans which were subsequently released at the hinges. (Firth of Forth, Scotland)
	Image-GoddenD29 Close-up of the Forth Railway Bridge at the south pier, showing the details of the members at one of the main supports. All compression members are tubular steel, the maximum diameter being 12 ft. Tension and bracing members are of open lattice sections. The bridge is still in use. (Firth of Forth, Scotland)
	Image-GoddenD30 San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Cantilever section of the Bay Bridge. (For suspension spans see GoddenC42-C44). The suspended span in this case is not as visible as in the Forth Railway Bridge (GoddenD28). Clear span between piers is 1400 ft. (San Francisco Bay Area)
	Image-GoddenD31 San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Approach spans to the near end of the cantilever spans. The bridge is a 2-level highway bridge, the lower level having been originally used for a railway crossing. This slide shows not only the main side trusses of the approach spans, but also the bracing of the shear members in the truss, and the horizontal shear bracing in the pier supports. (San Francisco Bay Area)
	Image-GoddenD32 San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Detail of the end post and sway frame in the cantilever truss. The cantilever spans consist of two complete cantilever bridges end-to-end. This slide is taken at the junction between the two from a car crossing the bridge on the upper level. (San Francisco Bay Area)
	Image-GoddenD33 Ohio River Bridge. Typical cantilever and suspended span bridge, showing the truss geometry in the end span and cantilevered portion of the main span. (Madison, Indiana)
	Image-GoddenD34 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. This long two-level bridge includes two 1070 ft. cantilever and suspended spans crossing the main and secondary shipping channels. Vertical clearances are 185 ft. (far span) and 135 ft. (San Francisco Bay Area)

Set D: Truss Structures