Example:
·Read the following passage and make notes from •t · givmg
· · a sw"table title··
. Long before the technology for modem bridge building was develop~d, human beings have
been designing and building structures of various kinds across rivers. E~ly bndges were made of the
tree trunks laid across the gap between the banks of the rivers. Sometimes a nu~ber of boats were
placed one beside the other to form a bridge over which soldiers could cross the nver. There are also
reports ofbridges made of ropes, primitive forms of the modem suspension bridge. The Romans built
arch bridges of stone masonry, some of which survive to this day. In the 18th century, iron came to be
used for building bridges.
Modem bridges are no lo11ger made of timber or iron. With the invention of Portland cement,
structures could be built of concrete, which have very great strength. When steel was used with concrete
to make reinforced concrete (RC), it became Possible to build bridges that could withstand both
compression and tension. A process w~ soon found to prestress concrete to overcome its tendency to
stretch under tension. Pre stressed concrete provided an ideal material for modem bridge building.
Modem bridges can b~ classified into four types. The simplest of these is the ~earn bridge, in
which a beam rests on the two piers on the two banks of the river. When this beam carries a load, the
upper part of the beam is compressed and t~e lower part is subjected to tension. An RC beam can
withstand both these forces.
The second type ofbridge js the arch bridge. Parts of the arch are subjected to compression
and practically no teD:Sion; the keystone at the top ofthe .arch looks locks all the parts together. Concrete
has excellent compressive stre1;1gth and can be used to build strong arch bridges:
The third fype is _the suspension bridge. Here huge steel cables are suspended from tall towers
and the deck of the bridge hangs from these cables. .
The fourt~ type is the cantilev~r pridge. The distance between the two piers is bridged by two
beams, each reachmg ~early llalf the distance between th~ piers.·Each beam is supported only at one
end, the other- end bemg free. The tqp .part of the cantilevered is stretched and the bottom part is
subjected to compression. A beam is used to close the-gap between the two ~antilevered beams.
~ri~ges are subj~cted to various forces. The loads transpotted over the bridge, together with
the dead ve1ght of the bndge, press down on the foundation Floods m d • of the
. . . · ay 1ea to an erosion
sand on the riverbed and thus expose the piers. Therefore it is very important t .d d dation
· towers.
for the piers and ' . o prov1 e goo 1oun
ANSWER:
Types of Bridges
I. Earlier Bridges
1) of tree trunks.
2) boats placed one b 'd .
") f . es1 e the other
-' o ropes -
4) arch bridges of store
_ mas_o nary
1). i)
. to fill gap between b an k so f nver.
.
2). I) used for soldiers to cross .
• nvers
3) ..i)[Link]
. .
fonnsofthem 0 dem suspension
. . bndges
.
4). 1) swunming till this day ·
4). i) 18th century iron used to build bridges .
II. moden1 bridges,
l) not made of timber or iron
2) portland cement
2) i) built of concrete having great strength
. 3) reinforced concrete (RC)
· 3) i) withstand both compression and tension
4) prestresed concrete
4) i) Ideal for modem bridges
4) [Link] ability to overcome stretch under tension
M.B. - 4 types
l) beam bridge
l) i) simplest
ii) beam rests on 2 piers on the 2 banks of the river.
iii) RC beam used to withstand upper compression and lower part tension
2) arch bridge
2) i) parts subj ected to compression
2) ii) no tension
197
2) iii) the keystone at the top looks all parts together
2) iv) concrete used to make it strong
3) suspension bridge
3) i) huge steel cables suspended from tall tower
3) ii) deck hangs from cables
4) cantilever bridge
4) i)2 piers bridged by 2 beams
4) i) a) each pier reaching half the distance
4) i) b) each beam supported only at one end other end free
4) i) c) the top is stretched of the 'bottom compression
4) i) d) a beam is used to close the gap between the 2 cantilvered beams.
IV. Force on bridges
1) load over
2) dead weight ofbridge
3) corrosion
. 4) erosion of sand on riverbed due to floods.
5) need strong foundation for the piers and towers.
Explanation :
Note making is an essential tool that helps one in preparing for examinations, lectures.
seminars, thesis writing and so on. ·
Points to remember while making notes:
(i) Read the passage thoroughly.
(ii) Identify the main points and sub points.
(iii) Condense the information by using abbreviations, acrony~s, symbols etc.,
(iv) Present in a suitable format.
