Rialto Bridge is made of stone and is elected across the Grand Canal. The conditions on the ground resulted to collapse of the work on several occasions. It is located on alluvial soil which normally consolidated and the surroundings are slowly sinking and these resulted in the collapse of the bridge. The level of the groundwater affected the construction of the bridge and this made the foundation to be constructed on piles driven deep into the clay. The main considerations during the laying down of the foundation were the sloped shores, the need for boats to pass under the bridge and having shops elected over the bridge. However, during the construction of the bridge, the architects had no technology to excavate deep into the waters and they perfected the techniques of spread footings. Six thousand timber piles were driven manually into the soil on either side of the bridge. They were later capped with stone grillages to ensure the abutment stones were laid to the perpendicular to the arch. The length of the piles was 3.3 meters long and helped in the distribution of large forces transferred into the abutments through the low rising arch (Tolley, 9).
Gerald Desmond Bridge foundation is made up of concrete which helps in suspending 161 meters of the main span above the water surface 47 meters high. The concrete pillars holding the bridge were deeply rooted into the banks of the waters. The construction of the bridge was based on the levels of the tides as the load was to ascend between 17 feet to 25 feet below the shore levels of water (O’Rourke, 1).
Both Rialto Bridge and Gerald Desmond Bridge impacted the local communities economically in various ways. The bridges were basically build to act as pathways for the people to move across the waters and this opened up a trade which has made the communities around thrive economically. Rialto Bridge acts as the link between the two sides and has opened up trade in the region. The construction of the bridge saw the emergence of the Venice market in the location and the market grew. The area is known for its large fish market and seafood which acts as the main source of income for the local residents. The pop culture in the region and the bridge also couple as a tourist attraction and this has been fundamental in improving the economy of the region (Italy Heaven). The souvenir shops along the bridge act as a tourist attraction and the locals view the bridge as an important crossing-point. The location attracts at least 1000,000 tourists annually.
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Gerald Desmond Bridge has been fundamental in driving the U.S economy as the location is becoming of paramount importance to a high number of trucks and cars. Approximately fifteen percent of all imports entering the United States of America usually use the bridge. This makes the bridge derive economic importance to the country as it allows free movement of imports and other goods for trade. The bridge also couples as a tourist attraction as people mostly engineering students and other people visit the location to see how the bridge was constructed bearing in mind its height which is far above other bridges in the region. Therefore, the bridge acts as a tourist attraction as well as a major boost to the regional economy as it facilitates trade.
Construction of the two bridges has impacted the environment in various ways during the construction and even after completion. The bridges are man-made and this is a clear indication that they interrupted the normal existence of the ecosystems in the region. For example, the noises during the construction negatively affected the aquatic life. The construction also saw disruptions to the ecosystem as the extraction of soils at the end pillars and the construction of the pillars affected the location and even the breeding of the aquatic life (O’Rourke, 40). The machines used in the construction also emitted carbon dioxide in the air and this compromised the carbon levels in the region. The construction also resulted in water pollution as a result of the falling materials as well as the soil from the extraction sites at the shores.
After the construction, the areas have further suffered from pollution as a result of increased human activities and the moving automobiles. The noise pollution has also increased tremendously in the region and this has impacted the environment negatively. The increased human activities in the region have also led to water pollution as some wastes have found their way into the water sources (O’Rourke, 9). Therefore, the construction of both bridges calls the need for the authorities to ensure that the curb negative environmental impacts.
The main similarity between the two projects is that they were undertaken to help people move across the water obstacles and at the same time allowing the boats and ships to move beneath. The two bridges are anchored from the shores of the water sources and this means that the pillars are inclined at a given angle in order to support the weight of the bridge and were made of concrete. However, the main difference among the two bridges in the length, materials and the design used in the construction (O’Rourke, 13). Rialto Bridge was designed to facilitate movement of people across the waters as well as encouraging trade as it was designed to host shops along the lanes. On the other hand, Gerald Desmond Bridge was constructed to ease traffic and was designed with four lanes and a pedestrian path. Although both were made of concrete and stones, the color of the stones sed was different as the Rialto Bridge used white colored stones while Gerald Desmond Bridge stones were dull.
The two projects were both constructed to replace pontoon bridges which were aging and were becoming weak. The two projects aimed at providing an everlasting solution to the wooden structures which were not reliable as they easily worn out (O’Rourke, 23). They were replaced with stone and concrete structures which would last for long. Before the commencement of the projects, various architectures were consulted and the best design was selected. To start the projects, the initial structures in the location that were being replaced were carefully used to derive the design of the new structure to be constructed. The pilings at the site served as the foundations for the projects that aimed at replacing the aging pontoons.
The two projects took different times to complete with Rialto Bridge took three years starting from 1588 and ending in 1591 while Gerald Desmond Bridge took three years starting from October 19, 1965 and ending in June, 1968. The two projects used concrete, stones and steel to construct the pillars. The materials’ main consideration was their strength to carry the weight of the materials as well as any other weight that might be subjected to the bridge. Gerald Desmond Bridge was built at a cost of US$ 12,700,000 and its measurements are1, 565 meters long, 21 meters wide and the longest span is 161 meters (O’Rourke, 20). Rialto Bridge was constructed using funds raised from a local lottery and has a width of 8.90 meters, a height of 7.32 meters and the longest span is 31.80 meters.
The two bridges are built of stone and have two sloped ramps leading to the middle portico and this allows the ships to pass beneath the bridge. The bridges are a single span meaning they are anchored at the ends to support the middle. The main uses of these projects are that they act as pathways for people and vehicles (Mahmoud, 350). They are used to facilitate trade between the interconnecting sides of the shores by facilitating a smooth flow of people across the water. The main benefits derived from the construction of the bridge are both economical and non-economical. The projects opened up trade between the two sides and these have acted as a source of economic prosperity of the regions. They also act as tourist attraction sites and this has enabled the countries to earn foreign currency from the tourists. The bridges are also used by residents for non-economic purposes as they move across the regions freely meaning they have facilitated free movement of people.
The two projects have economic importance to their respective countries and they facilitate trade between two locations through creating a linkage. The construction of the bridges followed the need to replace the aging and collapsing pontoons that were previously used in the areas. Gerald Desmond Bridge is located in California and is an arch bridge with four lanes of Ocean Boulevard from Interstate 710 connecting Terminal Island with Long Beach, California. The construction of the bridge commenced on October 19, 1965 and was completed in June, 1968. The bridge is well known for its size as it is 1,565 meters long, 21 meters wide and the longest span is 161 meters.
Rialto Bridge is located in Vernice, Italy spanning the Grand Canal and is the oldest among the four bridges at the location. The bridge links San Marco district to San Polo district. Initially, it was built as a pontoon bridge in the 12th century and has been reconstructed severally and currently acts as a major tourist attraction. The construction of the bridge commenced in 1588 and ended in 1591. Its design is a stone arch bridge with a width of 8.90 meters, a height of 7.32 meters and the longest span is 31.80 meters.
The main advantages of the projects are that the opened up trade through creating a linkage between two locations separated by barriers caused by water. The projects have also coupled as tourists attractions in their respective regions enabling respective governments to earn foreign currency. However, the main disadvantage is that the construction has led to the air and water pollution resulting from human activities. The projects have also led to an increase in the expenditures as they involve high costs of maintenance. This is the main reason why the Gerald Desmond Bridge is in the process of replacement so as to introduce a modern bridge that is less expensive to maintain.
The main challenges experienced by the engineers in the construction of the projects delayed relocation or removal of existing old structures at the site. Other issues faced by the engineers include redesigning of the projects during construction so as to deal with the changes that arise. The change in design means that the engineers had to start the work afresh so as to accommodate the changes to get the desired results. The engineers also faced challenges from the changing water levels and waves which compromised their work leading to delays in the completion of the project. To deal with the challenges, the projects were undertaken by various architects who consulted each other and more funds were sought through public funding to cater for the increasing costs. For example, the construction of Gerald Desmond Bridge was delayed as a result in the relocation of old and active oils wells and utility lines (Mahmoud, 402).
The main lessons learnt from these projects are that through the use of engineering techniques, structures can be constructed to eliminate natural barriers and obstacles that hinder movement. Through effective engineering processes, it is possible to construct various structures that can help human beings to deal with issues facing them. I have also learnt that through the use of the right materials, it is possible to construct structures that can sustain heavy weight above them although they are anchored only at the ends.
References
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rialto-Bridge
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rialto_Bridge
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canal_of_Venice
- https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2019/nj/c8nj06142h?page=search
- http://venicewiki.org/wiki/Rialto_Bridge
- http://www.bridgesdb.com/bridge-list/
- https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.692.4188&rep=rep1&type=pdf
