Use the “Bridges” handout and the books to help you answer the following questions and learn about bridges.
1. Name the three basic bridge types and describe each with a
complete sentence.
2. What were the very first types of bridges? What were they made from?
3. Describe a “clapper” bridge.
4. Who were the first group of people to construct arch bridges?
Why were arches used?
5. Early bridges in Asia were long-span bridges that crossed over
wide rivers. What is the name of this bridge design?
6. When did engineers begin using concrete in bridge building?
7. What types of bridges were built using the truss design?
8. When and where was the first cast-iron bridge built?
9. How was the suspension bridge changed by the use of metal?
Name one famous suspension bridge.
10. From the eleven different truss bridge designs in your handout,
which one appears to be the strongest and why?
11. What are the main parts of a suspension bridge? How does a
suspension bridge work?
12. Define each:
cable-stayed bridge
girder bridge
viaduct
suspension bridge
draw bridge
13. Choose a bridge from Lee Ames book, Draw 50 Buildings and
Other Structures. Sketch the bridge and tell what type of bridge design
you sketched.