The Bridges Project

Technical Information on structures
Forces - Gravity


There are forces pushing, pulling and twisting every structure. Some of these forces are created by what we do with a structure, such as walking over a bridge or sitting on a chair. Some forces are there all the time.

Tower Bridge || clip-links2
Tower Bridge ||

Everything on the surface of the earth is attracted to the centre. This never changes. A structure on the earth's surface is being pulled downwards by gravity. This gravity creates pulling (stretching) and pushing (squashing) in various parts of the structure.

The amount of push can be measured and is called load (not weight). It is these effects or loads that we need to understand.
     
Docklands footbridge.    
Docklands footbridge    


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Contact
Nigel Sagar
London Borough of
Barking and Dagenham
Education, Arts & Libraries
The Westbury Centre
Ripple Road
Barking
IG11 7PT
Email:
nigel.sagar@lbbd.gov.uk

 

 

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