Lattice truss bridge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lattice bridge | |
|---|---|
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| Interior structure of a covered bridge utilizing a plank-lattice structure | |
| Ancestor | Truss bridge |
| Related | None |
| Descendant | None |
| Carries | Pedestrians, livestock, vehicles |
| Span range | short to medium |
| Material | wood planks and beams or steel angles and beams, appropriate decking material |
| Movable | No |
| Design effort | medium |
| Falsework required | Sometimes |
A lattice bridge is a form of truss bridge that uses a large number of small and closely spaced diagonal elements that form a lattice. It was patented by architect Ithiel Town in 1820 and 1835 as Town's lattice truss.
Originally a design to allow a substantial bridge to be made from planks, rather than heavy timbers and employing lower–skilled labor, this type of bridge has also been constructed using a large number of relatively light steel members. The individual elements are more easily handled by the construction workers, but the bridge also requires substantial support during construction. A simple lattice truss will transform the applied loads into a thrust, as the bridge will tend to change length under load. This is resisted by pinning the lattice members to the top and bottom chords, which are more substantial than the lattice members, but which may also be fabricated from relatively small elements rather than large beams.
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[edit] Examples of wooden bridges of this type
- Bartonsville Covered Bridge
- Brown Covered Bridge
- Burt Henry Covered Bridge
- Kingsley Covered Bridge
- Worrall Covered Bridge
