Publisher
It is hard to imagine a world without bridges. Bridges lie at the heart of our civilization bringing growth and prosperity to our society. It is by virtue of bridges that communities are able to physically connect to new people and to new places that were previously disconnected. However, bridges are more than mere functional assets. A well-designed bridge reflects mankind’s creativity and ingenuity.
The way that our bridges are commissioned, designed and procured is rapidly changing. Nowadays, a large number of experts from many different disciplines work on the design during different phases of the project. The segregation of knowledge into discipline-specific fields, and the fragmented approach to bridge procurement, have resulted in a general lack of cohesion in bridge design. The objective of this research is to identify a design approach, through all scales of the design, that leads to bridges that are well-integrated, that are integrally-designed and that are valued by society.
The methodology of this research is the reviewing of numerous projects from my own bridge design practice. By identifying design considerations on four levels, namely the level of the landscape, on the level of the bridge, on the level of the detail and on the level of the material, this research demonstrates how an overall approach to well-integrated, integrally designed and valued bridges can be achieved by addressing each of these scales of the design.
If the mutations in the field of bridge design that have occurred over the past 150 years have taught us one thing, it is that the field of bridge design has become far too complex to be embodied by one person, whether it be an engineer or an architect. The role that the master builder played up until the late renaissance, bringing together aesthetic design and building craft into one person, is nowadays fulfilled by a team of specialists. You could say that the integrated design team is the contemporary version of the renaissance master builder. The basis of the ideal team naturally consists of a lead architect and a chief engineer. Within this team, the architect should be the design integrator; he or she has the task of securing the equilibrium between Beauty, Utility and Solidity throughout every phase of the design process. This balancing act takes place at all scale levels and through all phases of the design.
It is hard to imagine a world without bridges. Bridges lie at the heart of our civilization bringing growth and prosperity to our society. It is by virtue of bridges that communities are able to physically connect to new people and to new places that were previously disconnected. However, bridges are more than mere functional assets. A well-designed bridge reflects mankind’s creativity and ingenuity.
The way that our bridges are commissioned, designed and procured is rapidly changing. Nowadays, a large number of experts from many different disciplines work on the design during different phases of the project. The segregation of knowledge into discipline-specific fields, and the fragmented approach to bridge procurement, have resulted in a general lack of cohesion in bridge design. The objective of this research is to identify a design approach, through all scales of the design, that leads to bridges that are well-integrated, that are integrally-designed and that are...
It is hard to imagine a world without bridges. Bridges lie at the heart of our civilization bringing growth and prosperity to our society. It is by virtue of bridges that communities are able to physically connect to new people and to new places that were previously disconnected. However,...
This chapter provides an introduction to the research. The research topic and the research aspects are briefly introduced. The changing role of the architect in the field of bridge design is analysed in an historical context. The role of the commissioning authorities is introduced. The problem of segregation of knowledge is introduced. The objectives and research questions are stated, a hypothesis is formulated and the methodology is discussed. Furthermore, an outline of the dissertation is provided.
This chapter provides an introduction to the research. The research topic and the research aspects are briefly introduced. The changing role of the architect in the field of bridge design is analysed in an historical context. The role of the commissioning authorities is introduced. The problem of segregation of knowledge is introduced. The objectives and research questions are stated, a hypothesis is formulated and the methodology is discussed. Furthermore, an outline of the dissertation is provided.
This chapter provides an introduction to the research. The research topic and the research aspects are briefly introduced. The changing role of the architect in the field of bridge design is analysed in an historical context. The role of the commissioning authorities is introduced. The problem...
This paper discusses design considerations for creating high quality civil works with an emphasis on bridges. The authors pursue a design study and analysis approach to highlight the specifics of infrastructure design for regional identity, based on their own work on a series of bridges in the Dutch Zaanstreek region. Subsequently two highlights of the authors work, the award winning Juliana Bridge and the wildlife crossing in Rijssen, are used to illustrate how to create good infrastructure design in sensitive contexts, without making use of a neo-vernacular vocabulary.
This paper discusses design considerations for creating high quality civil works with an emphasis on bridges. The authors pursue a design study and analysis approach to highlight the specifics of infrastructure design for regional identity, based on their own work on a series of bridges in the Dutch Zaanstreek region. Subsequently two highlights of the authors work, the award winning Juliana Bridge and the wildlife crossing in Rijssen, are used to illustrate how to create good infrastructure design in sensitive contexts, without making use of a neo-vernacular vocabulary.
This paper discusses design considerations for creating high quality civil works with an emphasis on bridges. The authors pursue a design study and analysis approach to highlight the specifics of infrastructure design for regional identity, based on their own work on a series of bridges in the...
This paper investigates the symbiotic relationship between the architectural appearance of a bridge and the structural design. The research is done by reviewing and comparing the design methodology employed by the first author in the conceptualization of two of his bridges; an early work from 1997 and a recent work from 2017. The review of the early work describes a design methodology that could be described as intuitive design, whereas the later work is the result of computational from-finding and optimization. Parallels are drawn and the historical development of the toolbox of the architect and the engineer is described. The paper analysis the way the two designs were achieved by looking from the perspective of the architect and that of the engineer. The paper concludes by identifying the key design considerations to achieve a beautiful yet structurally sound bridge. The question whether beauty can be the sole result of a rational design process towards the most efficient form according to the laws of mechanics, is addressed. This paper demonstrate the belief that when it comes to the design of a bridge, architecture and structure, form and force, are involved in an interdependable and symbiotic relationship.
This paper investigates the symbiotic relationship between the architectural appearance of a bridge and the structural design. The research is done by reviewing and comparing the design methodology employed by the first author in the conceptualization of two of his bridges; an early work from 1997 and a recent work from 2017. The review of the early work describes a design methodology that could be described as intuitive design, whereas the later work is the result of computational from-finding and optimization. Parallels are drawn and the historical development of the toolbox of the architect and the engineer is described. The paper analysis the way the two designs were achieved by looking from the perspective of the architect and that of the engineer. The paper concludes by identifying the key design considerations to achieve a beautiful yet structurally sound bridge. The question whether beauty can be the sole result of a rational design process towards the most efficient form...
This paper investigates the symbiotic relationship between the architectural appearance of a bridge and the structural design. The research is done by reviewing and comparing the design methodology employed by the first author in the conceptualization of two of his bridges; an early work from...
This paper reviews the use of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) in architectural and structural bridge design in the Netherlands. The challenges and opportunities of this relatively new material, both for the architect and the engineer, are discussed. An inventory of recent structural solutions in FRP is included, followed by a discussion on architectural FRP applications derived from the architectural practice of the author and of other pioneers.
This paper reviews the use of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) in architectural and structural bridge design in the Netherlands. The challenges and opportunities of this relatively new material, both for the architect and the engineer, are discussed. An inventory of recent structural solutions in FRP is included, followed by a discussion on architectural FRP applications derived from the architectural practice of the author and of other pioneers.
This paper reviews the use of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) in architectural and structural bridge design in the Netherlands. The challenges and opportunities of this relatively new material, both for the architect and the engineer, are discussed. An inventory of recent structural solutions...
This paper deals with the design, production and monitoring of a bio-composite footbridge with a span of 14 meters across the river Dommel in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The specific bio-composite material that was used for this research is a Natural-Fibre Reinforced Bio-Polymer (NFRBP). The goal of the research is to prove that NFRBP can be applied as a load bearing structure in an outdoor environment. For this purpose, a multidisciplinary team of academic researchers from two universities, together with a manufacturer from the NFRBP industry and the Centre of Expertise Biobased Economy (CoEBBE), developed a feasible design that could be produced by unskilled hands in a short period of time and within a limited budget. The footbridge was designed, built and installed within less than one year. In the two years after the installation of the footbridge, the structural behaviour of the bridge was monitored by means of optical fibre glass strands, integrated within the structure, with the purpose of measuring deformations and change in elasticity that occur over time.
This paper deals with the design, production and monitoring of a bio-composite footbridge with a span of 14 meters across the river Dommel in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The specific bio-composite material that was used for this research is a Natural-Fibre Reinforced Bio-Polymer (NFRBP). The goal of the research is to prove that NFRBP can be applied as a load bearing structure in an outdoor environment. For this purpose, a multidisciplinary team of academic researchers from two universities, together with a manufacturer from the NFRBP industry and the Centre of Expertise Biobased Economy (CoEBBE), developed a feasible design that could be produced by unskilled hands in a short period of time and within a limited budget. The footbridge was designed, built and installed within less than one year. In the two years after the installation of the footbridge, the structural behaviour of the bridge was monitored by means of optical fibre glass strands, integrated within the...
This paper deals with the design, production and monitoring of a bio-composite footbridge with a span of 14 meters across the river Dommel in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The specific bio-composite material that was used for this research is a Natural-Fibre Reinforced Bio-Polymer...
In the previous four chapters design considerations for bridges have been identified at the four principal scale levels of the design; the scale of the landscape and the city, the scale of the bridge itself, the scale of the detail and at the scale of the composing material and the material properties. This chapter provides an integrated discussion and conclusions on the broad field of bridge design as it is outlined in the main body of this dissertation. The following chapter, Chapter 7, presents the recommendations for future research.
In the previous four chapters design considerations for bridges have been identified at the four principal scale levels of the design; the scale of the landscape and the city, the scale of the bridge itself, the scale of the detail and at the scale of the composing material and the material properties. This chapter provides an integrated discussion and conclusions on the broad field of bridge design as it is outlined in the main body of this dissertation. The following chapter, Chapter 7, presents the recommendations for future research.
In the previous four chapters design considerations for bridges have been identified at the four principal scale levels of the design; the scale of the landscape and the city, the scale of the bridge itself, the scale of the detail and at the scale of the composing material and the material...
This final chapter closes this dissertation and provides recommendations for future research.
This final chapter closes this dissertation and provides recommendations for future research.
This final chapter closes this dissertation and provides recommendations for future research.