Starling (architecture)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the architectural term. For the bird species, see Starling.
The starlings on Tower Bridge can be clearly seen beneath the roadway.
Enlarge
The starlings on Tower Bridge can be clearly seen beneath the roadway.

In architecture, a starling (or sterling) is a defensive bulwark, usually built with pilings or bricks, surrounding the supports (or piers) of a bridge or similar construction. Starlings are shaped to ease the flow of the water around the bridge, reducing the damage caused by erosion, and may also form an important part of the structure of the bridge, spreading the weight of the piers.

One problem caused by the use of starlings is the build up of river debris, mud and other foreign objects against the starlings, potentially blocking the flow of the river.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../s/t/a/Starling_%28architecture%29.html"