Bridges allow people and goods to cross bodies of water, open spaces, or roads to avoid traffic. There are several main types of bridges including arch bridges, truss bridges, and beam bridges. Arch bridges have a curved design and can be made of materials like wood, stone, concrete, or steel. Truss bridges form triangles using connecting elements. Beam bridges have a simple horizontal beam resting on vertical piers.

2. Bridges
Bridges are structures that allow people and goods to cross a body of
water, open space, or even over other roads to avoid traffic jams.
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3. Bridges
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4. Arch Bridges
Arch bridges have a
curved design and are
made with wood, stone,
concrete and steel.
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5. Arch Bridges
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Arch bridges carry the road with an
arch that is either directly below
the road or is on either side of the
bridge deck.

6. Truss Bridges
Truss bridges are a
structure connected by
elements that form
triangles.
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7. Truss Bridges
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A truss bridge has exposed metal
beams built in triangular
configuration.

8. FS Slab
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9. Girder
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10. Beam Bridges
Beam bridges have
a simple design
where a horizontal
beam rests on
vertical piers.
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Pier
Superstructure
Abutment
Deck

11. Beam & Girder Bridges
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Beam and girder bridges have
long parallel beams that are under
the bridge deck.

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Video

13. Quick Video Facts
 Texas built 15,000 bridges, which is two bridges per day for twenty years
– that is a lot of construction!
 Bridges were built in response to a boom after World War II.
 Better roads and bridges were needed to move more people and goods,
since current roads were unsafe.
 More roads meant more traffic, people, and travel.
 TxDOT had to think outside the box to design new bridges and help
connect communities.
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14. Quick Video Facts
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15. Quick Video Facts
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17. Quick Video Facts
 Roads and bridges weren’t always as smooth as they are today.
 Texas engineers tried new ideas to build bigger and stronger bridges.
 Welding is a way to stick two pieces of metal together using a very hot flame
or electricity. This method of construction was a new technique used after
the war. It was made possible by many soldiers returning home who knew
how to weld from building steel ships and could put their skills to use.
 Unfortunately, steel was hard to come by since it was used so much during
World War II. Engineers explored concrete construction for new bridges.
 Engineers really thought outside the box. They used neoprene pads to
cushion bridges – the same material used in scuba suits and Band-Aids!
 (break each bullet apart into separate slides add scuba steve)
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18. Experiment
Let’s try an experiment to understand how concrete works and how it will
take on any form you put it in.
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