Advantages & Disadvantages of Suspension Bridges

Suspension bridges as some advantages and disadvantages over other types of bridges. In the following section, all the pros and cons of suspension bridges are described.

Advantages of Suspension Bridges

The following are the four major advantages of suspension bridges.

1. Economic Advantage:  Suspension bridges offer a significant economic advantage due to the span they can cover with a relatively small amount of construction materials. The long and slender design of suspension bridges allows them to span great distances, making them a cost-effective solution for crossing wide bodies of water or deep valleys.
2. Height Advantage: One of the notable advantages of suspension bridges is their ability to be built high above waterways. The engineering of suspension bridges allows for the construction of tall towers and long cable spans, enabling the passage of tall ships beneath the bridge without any obstructions. This height advantage is particularly beneficial in navigable water channels and busy harbors.
3. Construction Advantage:  During the construction phase, suspension bridges offer a unique advantage in terms of design and access. Unlike some other types of bridges, suspension bridges do not require extensive temporary central supports to be built. This means that busy roadways or waterways beneath the bridge do not need to be disrupted during construction. This construction advantage minimizes traffic disruptions and ensures smooth project execution.
4. Easier to maintain: Suspension bridges provide ease of maintenance compared to other bridge types. The cables that support the bridge can be inspected, maintained, and repaired without the need to shut down the entire bridge. This allows for regular inspections and necessary repairs to be carried out without significant disruptions to traffic flow, contributing to the overall longevity and safety of the bridge.

With these advantages, suspension bridges have become iconic structures worldwide, offering impressive spans and efficient designs. Their economic efficiency, height capabilities, construction convenience, and ease of maintenance make them a popular choice for crossing challenging terrains and water bodies.

Disadvantages of Suspension Bridges

The following are the seven major disadvantages of suspension bridges.

1. Load Limitations: A pitfall of a suspension bridge is that the material used is the cables. These cables have limitations once they involve bearing the burden of the masses. Though it will enable a minimum weight with relevant vehicles passing through, an excessive amount of weight will cause the breaking of cables.
2. Loss of Income: Despite the low prices of constructing suspension bridges and therefore the jobopportunities they provided, the length of time required to complete building these bridges is long. Taking a longer time may be the result of the loss of income that may be full of the economy site.
3. Heavy Loads: Flexibility also becomes an obstacle once significant, focused loads are concerned. Suspension bridges do not seem to be usually used for regional rail crossings that carry the most weight loads that add dangerous stress to the structure.
4. Foundation pitfalls: Once inbuilt soft ground, suspension bridges need in-depth and high-ticket foundation work to combat the results of the significant load on foundation towers.
5. Restricted Applications: Suspension bridges, despite their cost-effectiveness in construction and adaptability once it involve site location, have limitations once it involve their use. This can be a result of being destroyed by sturdy winds and not sturdy enough to carry limitless weight, careful thought ought to be taken before construction.
6. Aesthetics: One of the foremost noticeable aspects of suspension bridges that can be viewed as a disadvantage is the aesthetics. The cables and towers will be a visual obstruction that some people would rather not have.
7. Security: The last and arguably most significant disadvantage of suspension bridges is security. These bridges are susceptible to attack, including from terrorists.

Suspension bridges have preserved quality around the world. Along with benefits and pitfalls, engineers building these bridges ought to study the look and ensure necessities in building these bridges.