Stone arch bridges: an underutilized technology in the modern United States
Date
2019
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
In the United States today, our highway infrastructure system as a whole is need of repair. This is a major issue as the American people are highly dependent upon our highway infrastructure system to keep society functioning. In 2015, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reported that of America’s 614,387 bridges, 20% are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Also, approximately 39% of America’s bridges are 50 years old and approaching the end of their design lives (ASCE, 2017). This indicates that in the coming decades, an even larger number of bridges will be demanding attention. ☐ To make matters worse, our entire race is endangered by climate change. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is reporting that our planet is heating up due to greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Current predictions estimate that increases in average global temperatures will likely result in frequent flooding of coastal cities, the inundation of entire islands, frequent and intense hurricanes and other alarming consequences. This may result in the loss of lives and livelihoods. The production of steel and concrete is a major contributor to these issues as they account for ten percent of global emissions annually. ☐ So not only are concrete and steel bridges short-term solutions for long-term needs, but their production is magnifying our planet’s most dangerous threat. Together, these problems combine to create one very extreme issue. Many bridges will soon need to be rebuilt and doing so sustainably is vital. These new bridges must be economical in life cycle costs and environmentally friendly. Finding a solution to solve these issues simultaneously may seem impossible but when there is a will, there is always a way, and that way could be stone arches. Stone arch bridges around the world are averaging well over 100 years of serviceable life. This thesis was written to prove that stone arch bridges can be the most economically viable and environmentally sustainable structure type for bridges that need to span 100 feet or less.