Stress and Strain Relationships on Stress Ribbon Structures A bridge is a type of transportation infrastructure constructed to connect two distinct points of land. Bridges are often built to allow the passage of certain obstacles such as bodies of water or geographic depressions. They can be classified in several different ways, including based on their intended use or the materials used to make them. A bridge built solely for the passage of people is classified as a pedestrian bridge. Similarly, a wooden bridge would be classified as a wooden bridge, while a concrete bridge would be classified as a concrete bridge. However, the most effective way to classify bridges is by their structural form (“Bridges”, 2008). The three most basic types of bridge structures are girder bridges, arch bridges, and suspension bridges (“Bridge Technology,” 2007). The beam structure consists of a chain of interconnected beams supported vertically through the use of well-distributed pillars. The arc structure uses curved members to disperse applied forces downward into the end stops. Finally, the suspension structure exploits the superior tensile strength of the steel cables to support the massive loads applied to the bridge. While some bridges are built with a basic structure, others are built from a combination of the structural forms mentioned above (“Bridges”, 2008). Stress Ribbon Bridge A stress ribbon bridge is a unique type of bridge structure that is characterized by its simple catenary shape. and a slender concrete terrace. "The stress ribbon concept borrows the principle of the suspension bridge but develops it further using high-strength materials and m...... paper middle ......bbon pedestrian bridges in Czechoslovakia. Retrieved from http://www.pci.org/pdf/publications/journal/1987/May-June/JL-87-MAY-JUNE-4.pdf Strasky, J. (2004). Recent development in stress ribbon bridge design. Retrieved from http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:HZ_0RHziXHQJ:www.cement.org/Bookstore/download.asp%3Fmediatypeid%3D1%26id%3D7121%26itemid%3DIS617+stress+ribbon&hl= fr&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShElFbAnAHmbhR0Xr7oSO5RWxWd7CKzAA-IJAUKW3xsI0niIoTDH_BowhTg6N-rYhBlJ39EpWH4oEH2h9y4KY3_ekYc EY0lXD8K-Xrva1vl4yqAM58jGNMkI03-v CCC Ve8RvYR5&sig=AHIEtbR6ZvE Amub84QgS4uUL-H1s-o0lbQStrength of materials. (2011). From the Encyclopedia Americana. (0372230-00)American Precast Concrete Group. (2011). Lake Hodges Pedestrian Stress Ribbon Bridge. Retrieved from http://www.us-concreteprecast.com/project-profiles/lake-hodges-pedestrian-stress-ribbon-bridge/