Brooklyn Bridge Essay Research Paper Brooklyn Bridge free essay sample

Brooklyn Bridge Essay, Research Paper Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension span that spans the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan Island, New York City. Suspension Bridgess are suspended from overseas telegrams that are draped between high towers and secured to onshore anchorage that counteract the pull of the overseas telegram. The Aureate Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the longest suspension Bridgess every bit good as one of the most good known. The Brooklyn Bridge was the first span to utilize steel for overseas telegram wire, and during its building explosives were used inside a pneumatic coffer for the first clip. The masterwork of John Augustus Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge was built ( 1869-83 ) in the face of huge troubles. Roebling died as a consequence of an accident at the beginning, and his boy, Washington Roebling, taking over as head applied scientist, suffered a disabling onslaught of coffer disease ( the decompression sicknesss ) during the initiation of the New York wharf ( 1872 ) . Confined to his flat in Columbia Heights ( Brooklyn ) , he continued to direct operations, detecting with field spectacless and directing messages to the site by his married woman, Emily Warren Roebling. A compressed-air blast that wrecked a pneumatic coffer slowed the work, as did a terrible fire that smoldered for hebdomads in another coffer. A overseas telegram that parted from its anchorage on the Manhattan side crashed into the river, and the fraud perpetrated by a steel-wire contractor required the replacing of dozenss of overseas telegram. The building of the Brooklyn Bridge was a long procedure that was repeatedly slowed down by relentless difficulties.The Brooklyn Bridge # 8217 ; s 486-metre chief span was the longest in the universe until the completion of the Firth of Forth cantilever span in Scotland in 1890. Its deck, supported by four overseas telegrams, carries both car and prosaic traffic. A typical characteristic is the wide promenade above the roadway, which John Roebling accurately predicted # 8220 ; in a crowded commercial metropolis will be of incalculable value. # 8221 ; The four 15 3/4-inch overseas telegrams are the anchor of the span. The determination to utilize steel alternatively of standard Fe wire was a radical proposal. Steel was regarded as a fishy stuff, non yet proven over clip, as was Fe. In fact, at the clip of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the usage of steel in any construction in Great Britain was illegal. Washington Roebling specified a tried wire strength of 160 ksi ( twice that of Fe ) , and required that the wire be upgraded, to defy corrosion by the salt air. Unfortunately, much of the wire that was really used was non to specifications. The wire contractor had been replacing weaker ( and cheaper ) steel for the coveted crucible-cast sort. While justifiably outraged by the cozenage, Roebling had ab initio designed the overseas telegram to be six times stronger than necessary. He calculated that the condemned wire was still five times stronger than it had to be, and there was no demand to take the strands already in topographic point. The four overseas telegrams back up a dead weight ( the deck and braces ) of 13,240 kips # 8211 ; 3,410 kips per overseas telegram. Each overseas telegram has an ultimate strength of 24,600 kips, but the maximal burden on a individual overseas telegram seldom exceeds 6,000 kips. The river span is 1,595.5 pess, and the maximal droop over the river is about 130 pess. The length of each supported land span is 930 pess. ( Berkley, 37 ) The Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension span and the first to be constructed of steel. Engineer John A. Roebling conceived of a span crossing the East River while ice-bound on a ferry to Brooklyn. The span took 16 old ages to construct, required 600 workers and claimed over 20 lives, including Roeblings # 8217 ; s. Most died of coffer disease ( now known as the decompression sicknesss ) after coming up from the submerge d digging Chamberss. When finished, the span linked Manhattan and Brooklyn, so two separate metropoliss. ( Bergin, 67 ) When it was completed in May 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension span in the universe. It is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of the 19th century, and is, in fact, a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Roebling, who proposed that the construction be a suspension span, ab initio oversaw its building. But he died non long after the work began and his boy, Washington, excessively K over. Unfortunately, Washington came down with caisson disease, which disabled him and kept him off from the span. His married woman, Emily, helped him pull off the project’s completion. Construction began in 1870 when pneumatic coffers were floated out into the East River and sunk to the river’s bed. These coffers were hollow Chamberss that provided workers with a dry topographic point to work because continual air force per unit area kept the H2O out. Workers dug at the floor of the river until they reached solid land on which the arches could be built. Many workers, including Washington Roebling, got â€Å"the bends† as a consequence of go forthing the coffers and lifting to the river’s surface excessively rapidly. Following, the two arches built of New York limestone and Maine granite were erected, followed by the overseas telegrams that hold up the model of the span. After the wires were strung decently, the span floor, which is 135 pess above the r iver to let boats to go through easy underneath, was completed. The span opened on May 24, 1883. ( Bergin, 71 ) . Many prefer walking or bicycling across the Brooklyn Bridge instead than driving. John walkers and rockerss use the same paseo in the centre of the span ( although it is divided so that rockerss don # 8217 ; t run into anybody ) . The span is normally full of activity, runing from Brooklyn Heights yuppies traveling to or from work on Wall Street, to smugglers and joggers, to out-of-towners coming to the celebrated span for the position. At each of the arches the paseo widens into a big square board. Plaques on the corners of the board ( which will be on your immediate right and left as you come from either side of the span ) tell the history of the span. Note that the narrative is the same, no affair which side you come from. Plaques on the far corners of these boards, nevertheless, offer an interesting turn: as you walk toward Brooklyn ( on the board closer to Manhattan ) , you can read a short history of Brooklyn before you really enter the borough. These plaques besides point out the sights in Brooklyn seen from the span, as you would hold seen them in 1883 and as you see them now. As you go to Manhattan from Brooklyn, the 2nd set of plaques contain a brief history of topographic points like Liberty Island, Ellis Island, and Governors Island ( three topographic points that symbolize the history of New York City ) . The plaques besides indicate what buildings you are seeing as you look at Manhattan. ( Gary, N/A ) Although it is the Big Apple # 8217 ; s skyscrapers that are known for their tallness, people who are nervous in high topographic points might desire to avoid a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This is said because of this: while autos and trucks have a good trade of cement and steel between them and the river below, Walkers and rockerss have merely an inch and a half of wood. In face, you can see the river H2O through the thin separations between the boards or straight over the bannisters. There is truly nil to fear. It might do some people a smal l unhappy if they notice midway through their trip over the span how small bases between them and the H2O. To drive on to the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, follow the marks on Broadway, Park Row or Centre Street as you approach City Hall. You can besides acquire on to the span from the FDR Drive. John walkers and rockerss should retrieve that the span begins long before it spans the H2O. Get on at the entryway near City Hall if you are in Manhattan or at the entryway following to the Federal Court if you are in Brooklyn. By metro, take either the 6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall or the J to Chambers Street if you are in Manhattan. In Brooklyn, take the A to the halt at High Street or at Jay Street. The German-born Roebling designed the span. In 1869, merely before building started, his pes was crushed between an entrance ferry and the ferry faux pas. He died three hebdomads subsequently. His boy finished the span, but in 1872 he was taken from a coffer enduring from the decompressio n sicknesss and became partially paralyzed. His married woman, under his tuition ( instruction through his experience ) , so took over. Poet Walt Whitman said that the position from the paseo 5.5 m above the route was # 8220 ; the best, most effectual medical specialty my psyche has yet partaken. # 8221 ; ( Buckler, 75 ) . The building of the Brooklyn Bridge was a long procedure that was repeatedly slowed down by relentless troubles.