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Bridges are usually built to connect two points that cannot be easily tread upon or accessed. The usual place where a bridge is required is between two raised banks of ground.

Building a bridge is not a simple DIY task that you can plan to pursue all by yourself. You will always need help of a number of people.

Here are a few important basic steps that go in to building a bridge

Inspecting the Site

You will need to carefully inspect the site where you want to build your bridge. The best thing to do is have a professional alongside who can help you determine the land type as this will decide how the bridge will be built. For instance, if the land at the banks gives away easily you will certainly need more reinforcement to make the deck stand over time and hold the bridge framework.

Approval of the Design

All bridges are built on paper. This stands true no matter how simple a bridge you might want to construct. There are different types of bridges; arches, suspensions, truss, cable-steadied, beam-types, etc. The type of bridge will always depend on how much weight it will have to sustain. Again, unless you have the requisite engineering proficiency, your best solution is to consult a construction engineer or a firm that takes up such projects.

Once your design sketch is ready, according to the laws in your state, you will need to have this approved by your city council. This is a really good idea if you are also considering safety while using the bridge. Once the plans and drawings for your bridge are approved by competent authorities, you are ready to construct the bridge. Now all that remains is having the bridge constructed through a contractor who has past experience in doing these kinds of constructions.

Bridge Foundations

The foundations of the bridge depend on the quality of the surrounding land. You will need the correct amount of reinforcement, especially at the deck. This is where the bridge will derive its stability and strength from. As long as the gap that is to be bridged is small, the whole process is pretty simple. You essentially use connecting rods or beams to close and connect the gap using suitable material. Depending on the weight that is to be passed around, the connecting rods can be used of either wood or metals.

So we basically have a connecting framework that is placed between the two banks. This framework is held in place at the deck, usually with reinforced concrete. When the gap to be bridged is wider, you are going to need more support in the form of beams or trusses. Once the deck is erected and the bridge framework in place, you will need to pave the bridge for practical usability. Paving can be done in a number of ways but the best solution is using commercial machinery as this will cost you a lot lesser than other methods.