Suspension bridge materials

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge which is built by suspending the roadway from cables attached to a master cable which runs above the length of the bridge.

In addition to being strong and lightweight, these types of bridges are also beautiful, and some of the most famous bridges in the world are also built in this way, including San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge and New York's Brooklyn Bridge.

The design of a suspension bridge is simple and straightforward, and takes advantage of several techniques to distribute the weight of the bridge safely and evenly.

The basic design of a suspension bridge has been in use for centuries: thousands of years ago, people crossed waterways and chasms by swinging hand over hand on suspended cables.

Simple suspension bridge

Later, walkways were hung from the cables to make the process easier, and the original vines and ropes began to be replaced with chains. Major bridges were still built using a truss design until 1808, when an American inventor named James Finley filed a patent on an early version of this type of bridge.

Finle

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