Cool Engineering feat

[masterswimmer]

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 in my next post

 

[Deanos]

Just the water, due to the buoyancy of the ships.

 

[masterswimmer]

Just the water, due to the buoyancy of the ships.

Correct, but because of displacement of water due to the bouyancy of the ships.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

You forgot the pedestrians and the load that they may be holding

 

[Salesbig]

Wow.. that would make a great a tank..

I dont get it.. or im amazed.. i cant figure it out yet..
Its 918 meters long ( about 1100 feet long ) so you just get on and go back and forth?

How much does 500 million euro equal in dollars??

 

[TimberTDI]

around 650 million.

Russ,

You got a link to the story? Definitely interested in reading more.

 

[Blue02celi]

cool...
now someone can come up with a track for jet ski's

 

[fritz]

To those about to yell "Photoshop!"
http://www.snopes.com/photos/architecture/waterbridge.asp

 

[crox99]

Wow.. that would make a great a tank..

I dont get it.. or im amazed.. i cant figure it out yet..
Its 918 meters long ( about 1100 feet long ) so you just get on and go back and forth?

How much does 500 million euro equal in dollars??

Its almost 3,000 feet or 1,100 yards.

 

[Hitsnorth]

I guess walking is free since nobody is on the ship they are all walking across.

 

[JHOV2324]

so those boats cant turn around...........that doesnt look like enough space for boats to go and come at the same time

 

[pmui]

how do you get across to to the other pedistrian walk? another bridge? it's like a very expensive water flue ride, does it splash at the end?

 

[Salesbig]

how do you get across to to the other pedistrian walk? another bridge?

WATER FROGGER

 

[TimberTDI]

The bridge does have a purpose:

The massive undertaking will connect Berlin’s inland harbor with the ports along the Rhine river. The water bridge will enable river barges to avoid a lengthy and sometimes unreliable passage along the Elbe. Shipping can often come to a halt on the stretch if the river’s water mark falls to unacceptably low levels.
Barge captains will now be able to ship loads of up to 1,350 metric tons – the equivalent of 50 truckloads – over the 34-meter wide and 4.25-meter deep water bridge. Previously, ships could only be loaded with 800 metric tons.

 

[joseney21]

i'm guessing one side of the bridge is lower than the other, or the middle of the bridge is higher than both ends...how do they keep the water in the bridge??is it a series of chambers like the panama canal??.am i missing something