Water bridge....

BWX · May 25, 2006, 08:40 PM

I got this in an e-mail... it's cool enough for a thread.

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.

pr0digal jenius · May 25, 2006, 09:35 PM

actually, it would have to withstand it's own weight, the water weight, the weight of a maximum load capacity of pedestrians, emergency weight [heavy rain, wind, etc]....

...as for the boat weight, i'll go draw free body diagram to check, but yes...that is correct , except perhaps in this instance, since it isn't an enclosed system, and if there is a flow of water from off the bridge to on the bridge [a current] then it becomes much more complicated

niceguyrichy · May 25, 2006, 09:46 PM

you like that (and don't want to argue with pj instead

) check out the Falkirk Wheel

the worlds only rotating boat lift

imageshack's playing silly buggers, so >HERE< is a link to a site about it.

it's really very impressive indeed.

(anything germany can do scotland can do better....)

Judas · May 25, 2006, 09:48 PM

....erm.... i want more details?

BWX · May 25, 2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pr0digal jenius

since it isn't an enclosed system, and if there is a flow of water from off the bridge to on the bridge

Well yeah that's the idea.. there are no locks, so the water would not "fill" the bridge any higher.

LeanWolf · May 25, 2006, 10:29 PM

Cool pic! I love power-engineering projects! Go civil!

niceguyrichy · May 25, 2006, 11:03 PM

got a couple have decent pics of the wheel:

Mort_Cinder · May 26, 2006, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niceguyrichy

you like that (and don't want to argue with pj instead

) check out the Falkirk Wheel

the worlds only rotating boat lift

imageshack's playing silly buggers, so >HERE< is a link to a site about it.

it's really very impressive indeed.

(anything germany can do scotland can do better....)

yea, i went there about a year ago. i was really impressed by it

May 25, 2006, 08:40 PM	#1
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Water bridge.... I got this in an e-mail... it's cool enough for a thread. 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. __________________

May 25, 2006, 10:29 PM	#6
LeanWolf alpha male Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Skyrim Posts: 5,702 Rep Power: 80 System Specs	Cool pic! I love power-engineering projects! Go civil! __________________

May 25, 2006, 09:35 PM	#2
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	actually, it would have to withstand it's own weight, the water weight, the weight of a maximum load capacity of pedestrians, emergency weight [heavy rain, wind, etc].... ...as for the boat weight, i'll go draw free body diagram to check, but yes...that is correct , except perhaps in this instance, since it isn't an enclosed system, and if there is a flow of water from off the bridge to on the bridge [a current] then it becomes much more complicated