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Engineering & MachinesBridge Engineering

Suspension Bridges

Cables turn huge loads into tension they can handle

A road hangs high over the sea from two ropes of steel, with no pillar under its middle. What is really holding it up?

You'll find out

  • Why bridge towers are so tall
  • What is inside a bridge cable
  • Why one bridge shook itself apart

Why it matters

The same trade shapes every long bridge: taller towers and deeper cables, or far more steel.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 155 · Zone 18

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