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Bridges and the routes they connect

Bridges carry routes across obstacles such as rivers, valleys, roads, or railway lines. Their forms differ because the distance to be crossed, the ground, the expected use, and the available materials are not the same in every setting. A small footbridge and a long crossing for heavy traffic solve related problems at very different scales. Both must connect their route with reliable support on either side. Every bridge transfers loads through a structure and into its supports. Different designs arrange…