Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Abstract

The Wheeling Suspension Bridge in Wheeling, West Virginia, built in 1849, is the world's oldest cable suspension bridge and is 1,010 ft in span. It still serves the function of connecting the city of Wheeling with Wheeling Island in the Ohio River and has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The bridge is a cable-suspended structure with four 7.5-in. diameter cables containing 2,200 10-gage wrought iron wires laid parallel in each cable and wrapped with wire. The bridge is stiffened by Howe-type timber trusses and 1.25 in. diameter steel rod vertical supporting members. Diagonal, wire rope stay-cables an inch or more in diameter reinforce the ends of the span. Lateral sway cables, also known as wind guys, connect to some of the floor beam extensions. On each side of the alignment of the bridge, they are buried more than 100 ft in concrete and rolled steel deadmen. The bridge is asymmetrical; the top of the West Tower is at elevation 738.9 ft and that of the East Tower is at 760.5 ft. Many improvements have been made to the bridge as design loads have changed. Sway cables were added in 1860. In 1872, diagonal stay cables and stiffening trusses made their appearance, and more of these were added in 1886. A major rehabilitation in 1956 included the addition of the present-day floor beams; second and third rehabilitations took place in 1983 and 1999.