Overview

Kenneth J. Wright, P.E.

Vice President and Senior Professional Associate
HDR Engineering, Inc.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Matthew A. Brunner, P.E.

Professional Associate
HDR Engineering, Inc.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Basic principles of arch construction have been known and used successfully for centuries. Magnificent stone arches constructed under the direction of engineers of the ancient Roman Empire are still in service after 2000 years, as supports for aqueducts or highways. One of the finest examples is the Pont du Gard, built as part of the water-supply system for the city of N mes, France.

Stone was the principal material for arches until about two centuries ago. In 1779, the first metal arch bridge was built. Constructed of cast iron, it carried vehicles over the valley of the Severn River at Coalbrookedale, England. The bridge is still in service but now is restricted to pedestrian traffic. Subsequently, many notable iron or steel arches were built. Included was Eads Bridge, with three tubular steel arch spans, 502, 520, and 502 ft, over the Mississippi River at St. Louis. This bridge was completed in 1874, closed due to safety concerns in 1991, then rehabilitated and reopened in 2003. It now carries large daily volumes of heavy highway traffic, as well as the MetroLink light-rail mass transit system.

Until 1900, stone continued as a strong competitor of iron and steel. After 1900, concrete became the principal competitor of steel for shorter-span arch bridges.

Development of structural steels made it feasible to construct long-span arches economically. The 1675-ft Bayonne...