Waterbridge in Germany

[Mark Griffith]

Even after you see it, it is still hard to believe ! Water Bridge in Germany .... What a feat! Six years, 500 million euros, 918 meters long.......now this is engineering!
This is a channel-bridge over the River Elbe and joins the former East and West Germany, as part of the unification project. It is located in the city of Magdeburg, near Berlin.
The photo was taken on the day of inauguration. To those who appreciate engineering projects, here's a puzzle for you armchair engineers and physicists. Did that bridge have to be designed to withstand the additional weight of ship and barge traffic, or just the weight of the water?
Answer:
It only needs to be designed to withstand the weight of the water!
Why? A ship always displaces an amount of water that weighs the same as the ship, regardless of how heavily a ship may be loaded.

cheers
Mark

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Mark Griffith

To those who appreciate engineering projects, here's a puzzle for you armchair engineers and physicists. Did that bridge have to be designed to withstand the additional weight of ship and barge traffic, or just the weight of the water?
Answer:
It only needs to be designed to withstand the weight of the water!
Why? A ship always displaces an amount of water that weighs the same as the ship, regardless of how heavily a ship may be loaded.

So where does the displaced water go? So the depth of water increases slightly along the length of the waterway, so some of the increase in mass is applied to the bridge? I would think the sides are pretty strong to cope with the potential impacts, ships take a lot to stop them

Would like to see it though.

Adrian

[triplefin]

Great pic, thx- would love to see it

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by triplefin

Great pic, thx- would love to see it

How about this one? Millau Viaduct - Worlds tallest bridge - FunOnTheNet

Driving in the clouds...

[Frankie Price]

Not as good as the Falkirk Wheel.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

How about this one? Millau Viaduct - Worlds tallest bridge - FunOnTheNet

Driving in the clouds...

The Millau is something to see. We watched it as it was built. To the east of it is the old road that went down into the town and there is a viewpoint there where you can park and look at this awsome feat of engineering. Last time we were there we were also lucky enough to see some golden eagles using the updrafts to get height for their morning hunt. One passed over my head missing me by only a few meters.

If ever you are that way please don't miss the chance to have a look at this.

Chris

[Kirstie]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

How about this one? Millau Viaduct - Worlds tallest bridge - FunOnTheNet

Driving in the clouds...

A beautiful, surreal-looking bridge, but it makes me feel ill just looking at it. I'm not great with heights.

[Dave Crampton]

Originally Posted by Kirstie

A beautiful, surreal-looking bridge, but it makes me feel ill just looking at it. I'm not great with heights.

So how do you cope with cliff/wall dives??

[Kirstie]

Originally Posted by Dave Crampton

So how do you cope with cliff/wall dives??

I haven't really done very many - the ones I've done in the UK have been in murky viz so I haven't been able to see how far down they go.

The first foreign dive I did was on the Zenobia, and I had a moment or two of stress when I looked down from the surface and was able to see the whole wreck underneath me. I still find good foreign viz a bit disorientating.