1.2 Bridges

January 17, 2016 by jonathanshoemaker 2 Comments

If we were to start the comparison of the two bridges it would be rather unique comparison. First, let’s start the comparison with the build material of the two. The Brooklyn Bridge is made of Limestone, Granite, and Rosendale concret. The material used to make to The Golden Gate Bridge is steel along with some other concret at the very base of it. Any who the main material is steel.

Now looking at the design The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge while the Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid of a suspension and cable-stay. This is somewhat important to answer one of the later parts of this assignment. Along with the comparison both bridges were built in May, just a cool little point out. Most of all in the comparison, they are photographed in many ways all with very similar features of the bridge as the focus points.

Now to look at what is commonly seen in the photos of each bridge. When scouring the internet for photos I noticed a trend. That trend being the Brooklyn Bridge commonly is shot showing its towers and cable structure whereas the Golden Gate Bridge is shot as a whole. The reason I think this may be is the Brooklyn Bridge at the time was unique and had a very beautiful neo-gothic design resulting in the cables being laid out in an exponential fashion. In the case of the Golden Gate Bridge it has the suspension cables running perfectly vertical from the bridge.

Taking a look at the bridges architectural design I think there is a lot it reveals. For example the Neo-Gothic design of the Brooklyn Bridge was indicative of the more ornate and decorative style of the Romantic movement that America was transitioning out of during the time. The Brooklyn Bridge has more English influences. The Brooklyn Bridge came out of the industrial revolution were advancements in technology and engineering made it possible. On the other hand The Gold Gate Bridge is Art Deco style and has French influences. The Golden Gate Bridge was built after the 1906 earthquake and Fire in San Francisco. Suspension was considered the most logical at the time

Now to answer the last and final point, why the bridges have only been renovated rather than removed. Both bridges are icons for the cities in which they are located. The Brooklyn Bridge is on historic preservation lists which protects the design from being changed other than to restore or retrofit. I think The Golden Gate Bridge also follows suit.

Bridges

January 17, 2016 by Daniel Zmuda Leave a Comment

The Brooklyn Bride and the Golden Gate Bridge have been iconic since the moment they were built. Both of these bridges have stood the test of time, without having to be completely renovated. In the photographs on Flickr, the Golden Gate Bridge is photographed at a distance, where you are able to admire it’s color and length. The Brooklyn Bridge on the other hand has many different up close and personal pictures. We are able to see the bridge up close, they make for pretty remarkable pictures with all of the different cables crossing overhead. Also the pictures of the Golden Gate Bride, we are never really looking at the cities they are connecting, we can only just see the ocean in the background. With the Brooklyn Bridge, the bridge appears to be the centerpiece connecting the two important cities.

Since the Brooklyn Bridge was built first and about 50 years earlier than the Golden Gate Bridge, it wasn’t as scientifically advanced. The Golden Gate bridge is able to sway slightly in the wind, and hold much more weight at the middle causing it to flex. Another example of how science had influenced the construction, was the safety netting. Joseph Strauss invented safety netting to catch the men if they fell while working on the bridge. Of the eleven that died while working on the bridge, ten of them died when they got too close to use the safety nets. Science has played a huge role in the development of both bridges.

I think that since both bridges haven’t completely been renovated, it shows that both of the cities value the structures. The city of San Francisco wasn’t connected to the mainland and had a population growth less than the national average, but I assume it skyrocketed with the completion of the bridge, bringing much more wealth along with it. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed during a time when ferry travel was dangerous and through treacherous water. I believe both cities want to honor the hard work that all designers and engineers have put into both bridges, it would be a shame for them to dismiss such hard work and accomplishment.

Bridges

January 17, 2016 by stevenhuber 1 Comment

Bridges are not only a vital part of infrastructure and the transportation system, allowing us to easily travel across water without the hassle and delay of ferries, but also function as important landmarks and magnificent pieces of art. This holds especially true when it comes to both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. These tremendous structures were both engineering marvels when first constructed and represent the resilience and ingenuity of mankind. Both bridges feature twisted cable suspension engineering and were the longest suspension bridges in the world when first constructed.

The Brooklyn Bridge, built roughly 50 years prior to the Golden Gate, has towers built from a combination of limestone. granite, and Rosendale cement. It also features long suspension cables made from steel wire and a neo-Gothic architectural style. The bridge is one of the oldest of its kind and is considered a historic icon of New York City. Connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn, the bridge is generally photographed with the New York skyline in the background, a reminder of the bridge’s importance to the transportion of the bustling city. It is said that Warren Roebling designed the bridge to be six times stronger than it needed to be. This, along with the city’s love for the historic landmark and willingness to renovate it, are the reasons why the Brooklyn Bridge is still standing today.

The Golden Gate bridge, completed in 1937, was the longest suspension bridge in the world until 1964 and has become an icon for the city of San Francisco. The bridge, famous for its “International Orange” color, is largely comprised of steel, contrary to the Brooklyn Bridge, and is held together by some 1.2 million steel rivets. It also features a more contemporary design than the ne0-Gothic style of the Brooklyn Bridge. Photographs of the bridge tend to be shot from one end or the other and focus on beauty of the surrounding foothills and the water in the Golden Gate strait. Some of the most aesthetically pleasing photos capture the bridge while surrounded by a sea of fog, giving it the appearance of floating on a bed of clouds. Ingrained into the culture and history of San Francisco, the bridge has undergone numerous renovations, including a $392 million program to retrofit the bridge for the seismic activity common in the area.