New Trends and Developments in Bridge Construction

Abstract

In recent years a great many innovative developments have taken place in modern bridge construction, as will be described in the following. However, it has to be pointed out that important and noteworthy as they are, they hardly constitute an outright revolution as for example the invention of prestressing did some fifty years ago. The most striking development can undoubtedly be found in the surge of cable-stayed bridge construction with concrete decks and towers, which are nowadays being built in great numbers almost anywhere in the world. The idea of supporting structures by stays is indeed quite old the first application dating back some 200 years and it seems rather surprising that the actual break-through had to wait for so long a time. These important aspects of modern bridge construction will be dealt with at the end of this presentation. New developments which are likely to improve and innovate bridge design in the coming years will now be discussed.