Sicilian Suspension Bridge to Go Ahead

SpanningTheGap writes "According to the BBC, Italy plans on building a suspension bridge connecting the Italian mainland with the island of Sicily. The bridge will be five kilometers long and its central span will be over three kilometers long, easily breaking the old record length for a suspension bridge. The artist's conception image of the monster is a sight to see. Another article with more info can be found here." There's a website with assorted technical info about the design.

Comments

This Bridge of Ours

[gspeare]

Wow, I hadn't realized that they were so low on places to dump bodies that they needed a bridge to drop them off of...

have to wonder

[JeanBaptiste]

how this will affect the culture of both areas. I know throughout history that small gap of water served as enough of a barrier to make sicily a distinct separate culture, is this bridge an end to that? or is this already the case due to other transportation?

Re:have to wonder

[mekkab]

Sometimes its nice to have pockets of the world that are not easily accessible. That way they maintain their distinct cultural nuances and avoid societal homogenization.

A good example is the hawaiian island of Kaua'i.
There have been some comical failed attempts to make the main highway (Kuhio Hwy, but it changes names) go all the way around the island (I think the earth moving machines are still stuck in the swamps to this day).
Since it never happened there are still out of the way places. Never mind that it isn't a huge gap, and that driving from one extreme corner of the island to the other takes less time than it does to drive from New York to D.C. (2 hours as compared to 4-5 (depends on how fast you drive!))
that little element of inaccesibility and that lack of convenience tends to preserve the outer corners.

But I don't think there will be any threat to sicilian culture. With the way italians drive, the mere threat of an accident on that bridge will stop most people in there tracks.

-P.S.- don't bug me on the italian digs. I'm full blooded and yes I've been there.

Re:have to wonder

[mekkab]

I'm sorry, I must have written that without any blood flowing to my brain!

Chunnel

[hagardtroll]

If this is so controverial, Why don't they just build a chunnel instead?

Seemed to work for the English Channel.

Re:Chunnel

[Fantanicity]

The english channel is more stable than the Med. See 20 Years of Seismicity in the Mediterranean - 1977 - 1997 USGS

Re:Chunnel

[bunyip]

Not sure, it's not like the water is too deep:

http://www.ifm.uni-hamburg.de/~wwwrs/publication s/ rubino/fig8.html

Maybe it's the rock. The Chunnel was bored through chalk.

Also, the Chunnel is a train tunnel, with cars and trucks put in large wagons to take them through. Cars and trucks driving through a long tunnel are too fire prone (remember the tunnel under Mt. Blanc?).

Any civil engineers out there have a good explanation

Re:Chunnel

[arri]

Simple: it is a seismic area (terrible earthquake in Messina in 1901 inclusive of tsunami) with the fault ine running right between Sicily and the mainland. The currents are particularly strong which make a "suspended tunnel" (one of the original designs) also impossible. Apparently the only design with a sporting chance to work is a suspension bridge.

Re:Chunnel

[Jeff DeMaagd]

"Finally if you had bothered to read to the end of the article, the greens are against not because it would be ugly, but simple because the money could be better spent on a clean water supply for all the local population."

I wonder if their argument is a bit backwards. The situation in Sicily might be caused by the fact that they have no good access to the mainland. With easier access both ways, it might result in changes to the island social climate such that the problem will end up being solved as a byproduct.

In some ways, "build it and they will come" might actually work. Much sillier things have happened.

I will admit that the bridge's price tag is HUGE. Such a move has a lot of risk and should be considered with all due care.

Re:Chunnel

[Captain Large Face]

Since the Channel Tunnel was 31 miles long, it seems a suspension bridge was not really a valid option.

I imagine a tunnel is a lot more expensive to construct than a bridge, so it makes sense that if a bridge is a viable option, then that is the one the project engineers should take.

Re:Chunnel

[SerpentMage]

While I tend to agree with the idea of a floating bridge it makes it really hard for navy ships to go through the bridge.

BTW reading the article that was one of the requirements that navy ships could still pass.

Re:Chunnel

[OwnedByTwoCats]

SF's Bridges? The Golden Gate, sure. But the Bay Bridge is not exactly "in fine shape"; they were talking about replacing it, 'cause maintenance would be so much.

Re:Chunnel

[elefantstn]

I thought the exact same thing when I read that. The bridge has the potential to vastly improve the Sicilian economy, which would long-term do more to help it than what they propose.

Of course, if their economy improves, that would mean that someone was making a profit, which as we all know is possible only through the exploitation of the weak and defenseless.

Re:Chunnel

[elefantstn]

1) Sicily is much worse off than the rest of Italy -- poverty increases exponentially as you move further down the peninsula, and it's at its worst in Sicily.

2) Your sig: It should be "Carpe Canem."

Re:Chunnel

[daeley]

Shouldn't that be seize the dog? :)

Huge engineering feat..

[ldopa1]

This seems to me to be one of the next modern wonders of the word. I think it'll rank up there with the artifical island in Japan that houses the new airport and the twin towers in Malaysia..

Besides that, I wonder how many cars a day it'll hold, and how bad it'll be if some of the crazy Italian drivers get into a good sized accident. If you every been to Rome, you know what I'm talking about.

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[Zen Mastuh]

and how bad it'll be if some of the crazy Italian drivers get into a good sized accident. If you every been to Rome, you know what I'm talking about.

Their driving sure does appear crazy to Americans--I should know, having lived in Italy. I saw one accident in five months. They drive faster and more agressively than Americans, but they also drive more competently. Driving is a right in America, but a privilege in Europe. Europeans who can not drive competently are not given licenses.

That said, I think this bridge will face more danger from seismic and terrorist [le rosse, etc...] activity than commuters.

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[CrosseyedPainless]

Every (American) state driving manual I've ever seen states explicitly: Driving is a privilege, not a right. That doesn't seem to make the bad drivers any better, though.

That being said, not all American drivers are as bad as you say. They span a continuum, from Michigan (superb) to New Mexico (horrid).

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[Jucius Maximus]

"Driving is a right in America, but a privilege in Europe. Europeans who can not drive competently are not given licenses."

I live in Canada and every time I go to the USA I am shocked at the driving. This is mainly in New York and Michigan states. I see more stomach-churning driving there in a day than I do in a decade in Canada. This is not exaggeration. And the rudeness ... oh the rudeness of those drivers. It makes my blood boil.

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[ocbwilg]

I live in Canada and every time I go to the USA I am shocked at the driving. This is mainly in New York and Michigan states. I see more stomach-churning driving there in a day than I do in a decade in Canada.

I don't doubt it. I grew up in Indianapolis, and I now live in Columbus, Ohio and on every trip I've ever made towards the east coast (Philadelphia, NYC, Boston) the driving has been frighteningly bad. They also tend to be incredibly rude too. Of course, I think that most people in the midwest can't drive to save their lives either...

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[Bios_Hakr]

In America, you study a book and take a written exam and a driving test to get a license. In Italy, you attend a year of driving school where you learn a LOT about cars and how to drive them. The school costs about $2000 which can be overwhelming when you consider the avreage Italian makes less than $25000/year, and pays about 35% income tax in addition to a 20% sales tax on all consumer items.

As a 25yo American in Italy, I knew a lot of people my age who were not able to afford a car, much less a license. On top of that, gas was about $4/gallon, maybe more. In America, driving is really a right, even if the book referes to it as a privelege.

Another good thing in Italy is that the older population does not drive. This gets rid of a good percentage of the people who should not be on the road in the first place.

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[isorox]

Another good thing in Italy is that the older population does not drive. This gets rid of a good percentage of the people who should not be on the road in the first place.

Really? Ever driven the milan ring road at rush hour? 110 MILES per hour plus in the outside lane.

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[Aapje]

In the Netherlands, there is a lot of talk about renewal tests. But politicians don't seem to care much, I guess it's not a good way to garner votes. We do have medical check-ups for the elderly. Check their eye sight and stuff like that. A point system is covertly being introduced, for young drivers only (two heavy accidents and you lose the license). Not very effective IMO. We need a good point system, many drivers see tickets as a kind of tax. Taking away their license is the only thing that's really going to stop them.

Re:Huge engineering feat..

[grue23]

Driving is a right in America, but a privilege in Europe.

Every time I go to traffic school for speeding here in CA, they always remind us that driving in America is a privilege, not a right. We have to be licensed for it, and the privilege can be taken away if we disobey laws.

Gibraltar Bridge

[CaseyB]

I seriously doubt that it'll ever be built, but the Gibraltar Bridge is a fascinating concept nonetheless.

9 *miles* long, with 3 towers, each almost twice the height of the CN Tower. Crazy!

Re:Gibraltar Bridge

[brad3378]

&gt I seriously doubt that it'll ever be built, but the Gibraltar Bridge [discovery.com] is a fascinating concept nonetheless.
9 *miles* long, with 3 towers, each almost twice the height of the CN Tower. Crazy!

If the Gibralter Bridge is ever built, I predict it to be an incredible boost to the economies of both Europe and Africa. Industry in Europe could gain by getting cheap labor in Africa, while nations in Africa will receive heavy investments - Improving their infrastructure. Surely it would be a Win-Win situation for both Africa and Europe.

Like the Tunnel connecting France and Great Brittain, I think it is likely bridges like these would only be feasible if high speed railways are used. High speed railways would allow more traffic and therefore higher revenues to help offset the costs. Unfortunately, I don't think Railways at the southern Regions of the Italian Mainland are currently up to the task. As Americans, we might fail to realize that railways are a primary mode of transportation in most of Europe. Although Expressways do exist, Many people choose to not drive at all because train rides are cheap yet convienient.

It is my belief that the Sicilian Bridge will require much greater investments than the bridge itself to become sucessful. Traffic is what pays for gigantic projects like this, and without high speed railways and expressways it may be difficult.

Re:Gibraltar Bridge

[MAXOMENOS]

If the Gibralter Bridge is ever built, I predict it to be an incredible boost to the economies of both Europe and Africa.

Not to mention an instant target for Islamic and White Supremacist terrorists.

Re:Gibraltar Bridge

[Doomdark]

...incredible boost to the economies of both Europe and Africa. Industry in Europe could gain by getting cheap labor in Africa, while nations in Africa will receive heavy investments - Improving their infrastructure.

Well, there are already hundreds of thousands of immigrant moroccan workers in Spain. They travel by ferries, visit their families over weekends and so on (actually situation is similar to mexican immigration situation in southern US states). But the biggest is hardly the transportation; bridge would do nothing for real barriers for free flow of labour (legal barriers as labor unions in Europe are afraid of cheap labour, governments worried about social problems etc etc)

And as to investments to Africa, money need not be transported via bridges... lack of investments is not really caused by missing road infrastructure between Europe and Africa but by total lack of interest. Africa is about the worst place to invest, and has been for past couple of decades. Sad but true. :-/

In short, even though bridge would have its uses it's unlikely it would have huge impacts on any nearby economies.

Build It!

[grokBoy]

"But Italy's Green Party said it was ridiculous to spend such astronomic sums on the bridge when many Sicilians remained without a proper water supply and the island's roads are badly in need of modernisation."

Well, call me idealistic, but surely the building of the bridge itself will bring jobs to the area in the short term, and allow greater communication/commuting possibilities for Sicilian residents when completed?

This, therefore, will bring in wealth to the area - and hopefully the improvements that are needed will follow suit. However, the decision to fund this project through the use of tolls may impact on its success, at least from the Sicilian side.

Bad perspective

[Borodog]

Anyone else notice that the "artists conception" photo is impossible? Look at the support tower on the right. The perspective clearly shows you are looking at the interior side (i.e. the water side) of the support tower. Yet the span dwindles into the distance to the far tower. Bzzzzt. Wrong.

This does not bode well for their engineers, if they failed to notice a little thing like a crooked support tower . . .

Re:Bad perspective

[Fantanicity]

This does not bode well for their engineers

I doubt the Italians are stupid enough to hire the BBC's photoshop monkey as their chief engineer.

Re:Bad perspective

[RollingThunder]

Heck, it could be some whacked-out crazy new design, where the towers on each end aren't perpendicular to the roadway. *shrug*

It did look odd to me when I first saw it though, and this explains what it was.

Re:Bad perspective

[RollingThunder]

Actually, I looked on the site - that's not a BBC job, it's from the strettodimessina site, and while one looks cockeyed, another (from the same end) looks square. And the implication is these are computer renders - not a photoshop job. Wierd.

The view from the end of the bridge

Re:Bad perspective

[bluGill]

Any engineer worth his salt can design a brige to look like a single Artist drawing. Now granted it is silly to put a support tower at an angle so that someone standing on one spot on the shore can see both the inside of a far support tower, and the bridge dwindling off into the distance, and it will probably look odd from all other angles. Still if that particular view is the more important than all others, I can design a bridge that will be both safe, and look like that view.

Now if there were two drawings that both were really odd like that, then I will agree that it can't be done. I think this can be done though. Just remember it will cost extra money.

Re:Bad perspective

[spitzak]

As the text states this is a 180 degree fish-eye lens view. There are very few clues, but I suspect the rock blocks in the foreground are in fact in a straight line and not a curve like they look.

I suspect the bridge from that POV would be absolutely enormous and any normal camera lens would show only a small piece of it.

Timing

[KingKire64]

I wonder if pizza delivery times will be improved by this bridge?

mind tricks

[JDizzy]

Funny how the mind works, at first glance I thought I read Silicon Bridge (like Silicon Waffers, etc). Not until I clciked-thru to the article did I finally realize is was Sicilian, as in the island off Italy. Builting a bridge out of Silicon would be something to read about. Oh well....

Re:PEI bridge - 13 km

[bLanark]

The bridge to Prince Edward Island [tourcanada.com] in Canada is 13km. Over twice the distance.

Not a Suspension bridge, though.

Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge...

[rmohr02]

The bridge will be five kilometres long and its central span - supported by four steel cables each nearly a metre-and-a-half in diameter - will measure over three kilometres.

A meter (I'm American--that's how we spell it) and a half wide?!?!? How do they make steel cables like that, or, for that matter, get them to bend at all?

Same way they make any cable

[wiredog]

Take a bunch of strands and wrap them together.

Longest span, not longest bridge

[Mr.Phil]

This new bridge will be the longest span between towers, but not the longest suspension bridge. Mackinac Bridge, connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, is five-miles long, including approaches, and is the world's longest suspension bridge between cable anchorages.

http://www.mackinacbridge.org/

I've been over it on days that where so windy there was a police escort across and you had to turn the car wheel at the expansion joints to stay in your lane. This was shortly after the lady in the Yugo blew over the side of the bridge in a wind storm.

politicians talked about it for 30 years...

[kipple]

...until I won't see it built and working, and I will hear a committee of engineers stating that it's safe, I won't believe it. And the committee must be independent from any sort of government, expecially the Italian one.

Sorry, but being an Italian makes me quite used to that bloated political stuff... plus, for what I've heard [nothing official, I'm asking what do you engineers think about it], it will be built using outdated techniques. Could it be true?

Anyway, I hope it won't just suck the (little) Italian government money, as so many of those projects did for the last 50 years (corruption, et cetera).

Kobe bridge

[--daz--]

I saw a documentary on bridges on the History channel and they were talking about the current #1 bridge (in Kobe, Japan) and they said that it's so long, that the main towards that hold the suspension cables are not parallel. The tops point out, away from each other significantly DUE TO THE CURVATURE OF THE EARTH! Sweet.

Man, this Sicillian bridge will curve even more than that!

Hope it isn't a cable-stayed design...

[sphealey]

The powers that be are talking about a new super-bridge here in St. Louis (Missouri, USA, central North America for you furriners). Problem is they have pre-decided that it will be a cable-stayed design: just like the last 3 Mississippi bridges.

Now, the first few cable-stayed bridges were kind of neat, but at this point they are starting to look all alike and quite boring. Can't we have any more real suspension bridges, like the Brooklyn Bridge? How about a cantilever like the Firth of Forth? Architecturally that would fit in well with St. Louis.

But NO - everything has to be cable-stayed these days it seems.

sPh

Re:Hope it isn't a cable-stayed design...

[sphealey]

They also built it something like 3x as strong as it had to be. That's why today, it is still quite strong and able to support enormous masses even though it is over 100 years old.

Eads Bridge here in St. Louis (world's first steel arch; first experience with cassion disease {"the bends"} in North America} is similarly over-designed, and has also lasted well over 100 years in difficult conditions.

sPh

Re:Hope it isn't a cable-stayed design...

[stevey]

Now the forth road bridge is a stunning design to look at. Opened on the 4th of September 1964 the bridge connected North and South Queensferry replacing the regular ferry service that had stood for 800 years.

If anybody doesn't know it take a look here:

• http://www.firstcity.force9.co.uk/bridges.htm
• http://www.photoguide.to/edinburgh/forthbridges.ht ml" - Lovely photos

Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge...

[rmohr02]

It just seems to me that if you have that much steel packed that closely together it'd be hard to bend. Bu then again, I've never done any research on this.

Amazingly

[parc]

I read the headline as "Silicon Suspension Bridge to Go Ahead." And I thought, "a bridge out of silicon? That doesn't make sense."

Re:Not a great plan

[Yokaze]

Not that I'm qualified enough to challenge your statement, but what kind of bridges does one build then?

And what drove those incompetent blokes to built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (1,280m span), or the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo.
Not to mention the largest one Akashi Kaikyo (1,990m span) which is mentioned in the submission (follow the link "old record").

Italy's Green Party...

[Havokmon]

But Italy's Green Party said it was ridiculous to spend such astronomic sums on the bridge when many Sicilians remained without a proper water supply and the island's roads are badly in need of modernisation. Ok.. I can MAYBE see the water supply issue, but ROADS? Come on. It seems like there isn't much traffic NOW going to Sicily, why would they need to spend money on making nice roads?

Now, if the bridge is built, Sicily could easily attract weekend tourism, would would bring in more money, that would pay for the new roads.

They'd also need the clean water..

The bridge of death

[resonator]

WHAT, is your name?

Sir Gallihad of Camelot

WHAT, is your quest?

To seek the secret Mafia headquarters

WHAT, is the overall weight of the bridges galvanized steel wires?

I don't know that... nooooooooooo.....

Kevlar?

[Andy Dodd]

Maybe Kevlar - Much lighter than steel, and stronger.

But expensive...

Re:Kevlar?

[mjpaci]

Kevlar and ultraviolet light do not get along very well.

My Favorite Bridge

[big_groo]

Has always been the Mackinack Bridge spanning the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan. We used to drive this way all the time to go to Southern Ontario (from the North, eh?) The suspension part on the bridge has steel grating in the middle two lanes - it's pretty cool to look straight down at the water. They frequently close this bridge during poor weather. I think about 10-15 years ago, a small car (Yugo?) actually blew off the bridge during high winds.

www.fishweb.com/maps/cheboygan/mackinawcity/brid ge

8 km total length. Cool.

Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge...

[athmanb]

Notice that it's a cable 1.5 meters across and one kilometer long. So effectively the same ratio as a 1 meter long and 1.5 mm wide rope. It will bend just well.

Re:Lucifer's Hammer

[ocbwilg]

think in this situation, a 'chunnel' or something like it would make more sense, not just because it would be more durable,

Except during times of high seismic activity, for which the area is known. The articles also stated that Sicily drifts northwards about 3 feet per century, and shifting that is likely much easier for a suspension bridge to cope with than a tunnel.

but because a big bridge like this will disrupt shipping lanes during construction,

If there are no pylons in the water as planned, disruption during construction should be minimal.

and possibly dangerous to ships after it is completed.

The articles stated that the bridge will be some 230+ feet above sea level which allows enough clearance for US aircraft carriers. That should leave plenty of room for cargo ships.

Re:Not a great plan

[cmdr_beeftaco]

Suspension bridges hold up better than any other type of bridge which is why are found all over the west coast and in Japan. They say the Golden Gate Bridge swayed up to 8 feet during the 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake and was well within it's design tolerances. The weakest part of the bridge are the approaches which are cantilevered. Those sections are being retrofitted right now a cost of several hundred million dollars so that they can withstand an 8.0 earthquake.

What about the Wayne Newton bridge?

[gelfling]

Yeah you know, the one they'll build in 2031 to connect The Las Vegas Islands to the Arizonian mainland?

Fish Eye Lens

[hotsauce]

*Sigh* Never seen a photo from a fish eye lens? That effect actually makes the bridge even more impressive.

Another interesting new bridge

[sehryan]

The longest suspension brigde in the US, and what looks to be the thrid longest span in the world (4th if you count this new italian bridge) is currently being built in Charleston, SC. The span will be 1546ft, with the total bridge coming in at about 2.5mi. Check out some info on it here.

Re:Another interesting new bridge

[sehryan]

Except I am a moron and the Charleston bridge is a cable-stayed bridge, not a suspension bridge. It still is the longest cable stayed in the US though. Just ignore the parent.

Security thoughts

[tm2b]

I dunno, it seems like large engineering projects like this present an easy target for terrorists.

Not that this should deter us from undertaking such project, just that security concerns should help dictate their design. The chunnel, for example, is already pretty well protected from external attack by the rock it was built into. Suspension bridges are much more difficult to guard.

Just a thought.

But what is the current ferry service like?

[MtViewGuy]

I have to wonder what is the current ferry service like between Sicily and the Italian mainland.

Has there been talk of upgrading the ferries to very large ships like they do on the English Channel crossings?

Confederation Bridge in Canada

[Toshito]

Have you seen the confederation bridge in Canada?

It's 13Km long...

Here is the website:

http://www.confederationbridge.com/

Re:Confederation Bridge in Canada

[Bullschmidt]

The confederation bridge isn't a suspension bridge. Thats why this is impressive. Suspension bridges typically have a much shorter span. You can't really compare the two. There is a bridge which is by no means spectacular in the San Francisco Bay area (the San Mateo Bridge) which is about 10 miles long, so 13Km isn't really all that long.

Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge...

[babbage]

For the most part, they aren't *supposed* to bend. Yes, there will be a slight arc to it, but the stress on the cables is going to be much more from pulling than flexing. The metal used needs to be relatively stiff in terms of flexing, but more importantly it has to resist stretching as a load is applied to it.

I took a tour of Boston's Big Dig project a couple of weeks ago, including the Leonard Zakim cable-stayed bridge across the Charles River. The head engineer for the project went over the design considerations, including the properties they needed in the cables. He showed us a few different kinds of cable, including ones meant to flex, ones meant to be stiff, etc.

Ultimately, it seems like a fascinating materials science problem. You spec out what properties you want your bridge to have (amount of traffic, hence average & maximum weight load, resistance to winds & seismic activity, etc) and then find cables that can support that specification. For the Zakim bridge, the inner cables will be under a light load, and won't be twisting much, so the cable needed doesn't need to be as strong. The top/long cables have to be able to flex, resist 200+ mph winds, and will be bearing the greatest load, so the steel chosen for the purpose is picked to match these needs. It's all quantitative science, not guesswork, and I'm sure the prople designing the Sicilian bridge are just as clueful.

No problem

[maroberts]

The bridge is going to be able to handle trains (several hundred tons each) and a 6 lane highway, probably including HGVs (IIRC, current Euro limit 38tonnes). A few 60 tonne tanks aren't going to give it any problem.

Anyway, a army bridge master(forget the true title) wouldn't allow all the tanks to cross at the same time - its to inviting a target for an attacking aircraft.

all large suspension bridges do this

[AdamBa]

This fact was trumpeted for the Verrazano-Narrows bridge, the Humber Bridge, the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge, etc, etc. I guess it is cool but not unique for a bridge over 4000 feet central span.

- adam

strange looking computer rendering

[AdamBa]

The near tower is angled all wrong, you see the wrong side of it. I guess whoever drew that didn't know much about perspective.

- adam

modern bridge deck design

[AdamBa]

Most modern suspension bridges have gone back to the thin deck instead of the heavy truss, but they make the deck aerodynamic in cross-section to handle the wind. The East Belt bridge in Denmark is like this. Only the Japanese (in some cases, like Akashi-Kaikyo, but not some of the other large ones they have built recently) and the Americans (theoretically, since they have stopped building long-span suspension bridges) still prefer the deep truss.

You would think the narrow deck would look nicer but I like the truss actually. Plus I have not seen a recent bridge (since the Verrazano-Narrows in 1964) that really looked nice, due to ugly tower design or other issues. And don't get me started on cable-stayed, if there has been an elegant looking one built, I have missed it. The Pont de Normandie is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. Where is Christo when you need him.

- adam

Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge...

[poot_rootbeer]

A meter (I'm American--that's how we spell it)

Funny -- I'm an American too, and I spell it Y-A-R-D...

Re:Facts

[logicnazi]

The original post was a joke for fucks sake and it made no such generalization. The joke is funny because we see the flaw in the reasoning anyway...it wouldn't be funny if they were actually building a 3km bridge to drop bodies off of.

Re:Patton could have used it.

[sphealey]

Back then yes, today I am not sure. The M1A2B weighs in at a heafty 61.4 tons ready for battle. Imagine 300 - 500 of these wonderful tanks trying to cross... the weight would be tought to handle for any bridge I imagine. Hehe.

In North America, a hopper car full of coal typically weighs 100 tons, although some railroads have experimented with 120 ton cars. Those are standard 8-wheel cars (4 axle); I believe tank transport cars have 12 wheels (6 axles). So no biggie.

sPh

David Steinman's dream

[AdamBa]

Steinman was the chief designer of the Mackinac Bridge, and the Messina Straits bridge was his dream. Unfortunately he died (long) before it became feasible either technically or politically.

I gather that the Mackinac Bridge, the Confederation Bridge in PEI, and maybe some others have the occasional person who shows up and then is too nervous to drive across. So a toll booth attendant drives them over.

- adam

Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge...

[rmohr02]

That should be modded up, but oh well. And I just went through a year of physics wherein as soon as we got a measurement in any English unit, we were to immediately change it to SI. Sort of a habit now.

Europe and Africa

[XNormal]

If the Gibralter Bridge is ever built, I predict it to be an incredible boost to the economies of both Europe and Africa. Industry in Europe could gain by getting cheap labor in Africa, while nations in Africa will receive heavy investments - Improving their infrastructure. Surely it would be a Win-Win situation for both Africa and Europe.

Perhaps if Carthago had triumphed over Rome it would have been the other way around...

Re:5 km is Peanuts

[Kombat]

Oh, well that changes everything! 5km is WAAAAY more than 12.9 km. I don't know what I was thinking!

Fucking genius.

Re:Sheathe it with aluminum foil then

[Andy Dodd]

Maybe not aluminum foil, but if you ever bothered to look at a suspension bridge instead of sitting here flaming people, you'd notice that in most cases the cables are sheathed by something (Looks like some form of pipe, but I can't tell for sure.) Whatever it is, it would be sufficient to block UV from reaching any Kevlar inside.