By early next year, France is going to have the tallest bridge in the world.Personally, I am always fascinated by beautiful bridges all the over the world. While I was in Paris in 1987, I was awed by at least 20 beautiful bridges that spanned River Seine. You can read more about this bridge here.The photo is taken from the bridge website.Now, this tall bridge is beginning to be a tourist attraction like Eifel Tower.
Below is another beautiful bridge at Putrajaya.
This photo was taken by Nazley.
My first encounter with bridge engineering started at The University of Sheffield in 1973.The University is proud that one of its graduates is the famous engineer Sir Donald Bailey,who invented bailey bridge( a temporary portable steel bridge that can be launched within a few hours and was used by the army during WW11).
Another engineer that really amazed me was Sir Isambard Kindom Brunel. When I visited Bristol some 15 years ago, I took a trip to see this magnificient bridge.
The bridge has its own external and internal parameters that made it 'beautiful'. It is best to discuss this subject matter over 'teh tarik' than in a blog.
abedib:
in states,San Francisco also has lots of nice bridges. kito di kelate banyok gertok yg dikaitkan dgn oghe politik..oghe kkapung dok panggil gertok berahing ali, gertok tok guru, gertok abe ding di p.puteh dll. gertok hok dok buat di jeli tu ado namo doh ko? ko demo pakat dok panggil gertok datok pa doh?
SK
Posted by: sk | Wednesday, December 08, 2004 at 05:02 PM
Indeed, bridge (architecture) has become a big thing in putting up a place on a world map. These days, competitions are held for such iconic structure. Great stuff (more jobs for us, hehe).
that bridge in putrajaya: the central span looks too simple, yet the two anchors look heavy and unimaginative. i'll give 4/10 for what it must have cost and what it visually gives, sorry.
Posted by: atok | Thursday, December 09, 2004 at 06:55 AM
To the bridge engineers, the beauty lies in the harmony of forces INSIDE the structures where common folks without structure engineering knowledge and understanding could not 'see'.
To one retired engineer, he still thinks that Golden Gate Bridge is the most beautiful bridge in the world when I told him that Rama V111 Bridge in Bangkok looks great.
As they say, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Posted by: Adib | Thursday, December 09, 2004 at 07:10 AM
love golden gate! in fact i juz passed on it this afternoon.. coming back from santa rosa to san francisco, do u know that all the bridges are tolled in sf, freeways & highways are free, but golden gate is the most expensive, $5, another bridge in sf that always facinate me is bay bridge, but i always try to avoid that as much as possible, very bad traffic!
Posted by: bad | Thursday, December 09, 2004 at 12:28 PM
I, on the other hand, have seen Thomas Telford's bridges more than any other...3 so far, and still counting.
Posted by: nnydd | Thursday, December 09, 2004 at 08:48 PM
Thanks bad for the nice pictures of Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.
Here is the link to the famous Mathematical bridge in Cambridge:
http://www.prestigetoursofcambridge.co.uk/gallery/6.html
Posted by: Adib | Friday, December 10, 2004 at 01:40 AM
the bridge yang kat Putrajaya ( dlm your post) is not open for public lagi kan? heard that ada design flaw..betul ke? but i prefer yang the bridge heading towards Minister of finance kat P'jaya..
Posted by: Fairul M. Zain | Sunday, December 12, 2004 at 06:44 PM
The Millau bridge was open yesterday(14th Dec,2004) by the France President. Here is a link to the news:
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/12-14-2004-62933.asp
Posted by: Adib | Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at 04:49 AM
Abedib, I saw it on BBC news last nite, it was very beautiful..! They show the bird's eye view.
Posted by: Honeytar | Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at 05:55 AM
It is seemingly unfair for the bridge design to be solely credited to Sir Norman Foster(New Straits Times, 14 Dec.) Don't get me wrong; he is one of the greatest architects of our time. I have the the pleasure of meeting and working with him and admire his great architectural achievements, but a bridge design requires more than just architectural ingenuity. The Engineer's work to realise this project is a lot more significant. So it is more appropriate to give the primary credit of this project to Michel Virlogeux, the French engineer.
Posted by: TSO | Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 12:08 PM
Dear TSO,
Thanks for taking time to give comments.As an engineer myself, I agree with you more than 100%. In the design and construction of bridge of such size and complexities, everyone who has contributed must be given due credit,especially the specialists.
Posted by: Adib | Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 07:39 PM