A suspension bridge is the type of a bridge, which is mainly concerned with the application of tension than compression. These bridges are usually suspended by the main cables (chain or rope) that are anchored with the towers at both ends of the bridge. Earlier, towers were not provided in suspension bridges because they were usually constructed for short spans. But nowadays, among all the longest bridges of the world 14 bridges are suspension bridges. There are the many types of suspension bridges that exist today, described below:
Simple Suspension Bridge
It is the oldest type of suspension bridge, usually constructed as a foot bridge. In this type of bridge, a flexible deck is provided which is supported by the cables anchored to the earth.
Under Spanned Suspension Bridge
In this type of suspension bridge the main cables are provided below the deck. The cables are anchored to the ground similarly as the above type. Few numbers of suspension bridges have been constructed like this due to the instability of the deck.
Stressed Ribbon Bridge
It is the modified form of the simple suspension bridge in which deck lies on the main cables but it is stiff not flexible.
Suspended-Deck Suspension Bridge
In this type of suspension bridge, the stiffed deck is attached to the main cables with the help of suspenders. This type is suitable for heavy traffic and light rail.
