The Development of Beam-Arch Combination System Bridge Based on Mechanics and Aesthetic

Abstract

The mechanical characteristics and common forms of beam-arch combination system bridge and its new development are introduced. With the rapid development of economy, more and more steel structures are applied to bridge engineering. The usage of steel structure makes the pursuit of aesthetic possible besides the requirements of safety, economy and practicality. Furthermore, the aesthetic design is playing an important role in bridge design, especially in the design of an urban bridge. Aesthetic of a bridge is part of the aesthetic of environment, but which far surpasses the limited rang of environment where it is constructed. The beam-arch combination system bridge has achieved considerable development because of the requirement of aesthetic, which makes it widely used in highway bridge and urban bridge. Especially in urban bridge engineering, a new combination of beam-arch, beam and arch combining in transverse direction of bridge, has been invented and more and more used besides the conventional combination form of beam and arch combining in longitudinal direction of bridge, which is more beautiful but also more complicated for design and construction.