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BOX GIRDER BRIDGES | |
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Box girder bridges are quite common and a basic
example is seen below. They are usually manufactured from prefabricated
steel girders. This means that the girders are manufactured in a factory
and transported to the location of the bridge, where they are fixed
together. One of the best examples of a prefabricated structure is the
Eiffel Tower. All its parts were manufactured in a factory, transported
to Paris and then fixed together to form the worlds most famous tower. |
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Each side of the bridge is composed of three triangles. Each triangle is made up of three steel girders bolted together. This is called triangulation and produces a structure of great strength. |
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An example of girders bolted together can be seen below. The girders in diagram A have been made slightly transparent so that the bolts penetrating both girders can be seen. Diagram B shows the girders and bolts as they are normally seen. |
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A TYPICAL TRIANGULATED (BOX GIRDER) BRIDGE | |
Normally bridges and other structures made from prefabricated steel are bolted together even though it is expected that they will be permanent structures. Fixing girders together with bolts is faster, more efficient and safer than using red hot steel rivets (See construction of the Empire State Building). |
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