Folding bridge
Moveable bridge capable of folding to allow passage of watercraft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A folding bridge is a type of moveable bridge engineered to fold. This allows ship traffic to pass through the waterway that the bridge spans.[1]
 | |
| Ancestor | Plate girder bridge |
|---|---|
| Related | Lift bridge, submersible bridge, retractable bridge |
| Descendant | None |
| Carries | Automobiles, pedestrians |
| Span range | Short |
| Material | Steel |
| Movable | Yes |
| Design effort | High |
| Falsework required | No |
An example of a folding bridge is the Hörnbrücke (Hörn Bridge) in the city of Kiel in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. When the bridge is down it spans 25.5 metres (84 ft) across the Kiel Fjord, known as the Hörn. The three-segment bascule bridge folds up into the shape of the capital letter N to allow for ship and boat traffic.[2]
Two of the first folding bridges were built in Chicago by Shailer & Schniglau out of steel. The first stood between 1891 and 1899 at the Weed Street.[3] The second was built in 1893 but was demolished 10 years later due to it being repeatedly out of service and two boat collisions in 1900.[4] It had a 89-foot span and a width of 35 feet.[5]
See also
- Bascule bridge
- Double-beam drawbridge
- Drawbridge
- Moveable bridges for a list of other moveable bridge types
