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March 1, 2015

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Arch bridges combine function and beauty

Source: Shanghai Daily | March 1, 2015, Sunday | Print Edition

ANCIENT Chinese people began building arch bridges in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), several hundred years later than Greeks and Romans. But Chinese artisans soon created a number of distinct structural styles and features.

They built arches in shapes such as semicircular (also known as moon bridges as the reflection in water looks like a full moon), elliptical, polygonal, triangular, parabolic, horseshoe and even egg shape.

The aesthetic features of such bridges were important in ancient times. For instance, the Jade Belt Bridge at the Summer Palace in Beijing is known for its tall, thin single arch while the 150-meter Seventeen Arch Bridge is known for its rainbow shape. Both are famed for their ethereal beauty.

However, the best known arch bridge built by ancient Chinese is Zhaozhou Bridge in Hebei Province. Also known as Anji Bridge or Dashi Bridge, Zhaozhou Bridge is the world’s first stone open-spandrel segmental arch bridge. It’s also the oldest arch bridge in China today.

Designed by craftsman Li Chun, the construction of the bridge began in AD 595 and took 11 years to complete.

The bridge, still used by pedestrians today, is 50.82 meters long, 9.6 meters wide and 7.2 meters tall, with a central span of 37.4 meters. The central arch consists of a curved segment less than half of a semicircle. This clever design allows more water to pass underneath during a flood and its surface isn’t as steep, which made it easier for carriages and carts to cross in the old days.

Li also built two smaller arches on each shoulder of the main arch to help further control water flow during floods. The design had the added benefit of being lighter than most bridges, which meant less materials were needed during construction.

The bridge is also considered a piece of art because of its well-proportioned layout, elegant structure and beautiful appearance.

Lugou Bridge, also called Marco Polo Bridge, is another well-known arch bridge known for its design and an incident that sparked the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).

About 15 kilometers southwest of Beijing, construction of this 213-meter-long, 11-arch granite bridge started in 1189 and was completed three years later. The bridge features two rows of carved white marble balustrades and 501 lion figures in various poses.

It was such a beautiful bridge that it won praise from many emperors, poets and writers in ancient times.

Marco Polo (1254-1324), an Italian merchant and explorer who wrote “Book of the Marvels of the World,” once described the bridge in his diary.

“Over this river there is a very fine stone bridge, so fine indeed, that it has very few equals in the world,” he wrote.

On July 7, 1937, gun shots were fired near Lugou Bridge, marking the beginning of China’s defensive war against Japan.

In 1987, a war memorial hall was built near the bridge and an annual ceremony marks the war’s anniversary.

Chaotianmen Bridge, which spans the Yangtze River in Chongqing, is another famous arch bridge.

With a total length of 4,881 meters and a main span of 552 meters, it is now the largest arch bridge in the world.

The bridge opened in April 2009.

One can only wonder what great bridges will be built in China in the future.

A fixed arch is one of the most common true arch configurations and is widely used in reinforced concrete bridges and tunnel construction.

Although only suitable for relatively short spans, a fixed arch boasts the most solid structure and least distortion among all arches. They also cost less to construct and are easy to maintain.

Fixed-arch bridges are susceptible to the shifting of abutments, thermal expansion and contraction, as well as concrete shrinkage, therefore, building bridge abutments on more solid bases is required.

Other common arches include two-hinged and three-hinged arches, which are usually used for wider spans. Although they are not as solid as the fixed arch, they require a simpler foundation design.

Now and Then


 

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