Sunday, May 22, 2011

Bridges!




Hi Room 13
I've found some bridges you might be interested in:

Seoul’s Banpo Bridge Turns into Gigantic Fountain
The Banpo Bridge which crosses over the Han River in the Seoul capital of Korea has been given new life with the addition of a very interesting fountain, that was specially designed to attract more tourists.
The fountains at the Banpo Bridge were installed on September ninth and have since become a major tourist attraction.The bridge has turned into a major tourist attraction. It has nearly 10 thousand nozzles ( more exactly 9, 380 ) on either side of the bridge that shoots out 190 tons of water every minute. According to the Seoul mayor, Oh Se-Hoon, the fountain bridge would help acknowledge Seoul as an eco-friendly destination amassing more tourists.
Banpo Bridge on youtube.com

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

The award winning $44 million Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the first and only tilting bridge in the world. Hydraulic rams at each end of the bridge allow it to tilt so small ships may pass through, and it is this innovative technology which won its designers the prestigious Stirling Prize for architecture in 2002. Thanks to the 19,000 tonnes of concrete poured into 98ft deep foundations and enough steel to build 64 double decker buses, the bridge can withstand a collision with a 4,000 tonne ship moving at 4 knots.
Gateshead Millennium Bridge on youtube.com


The Falkirk Wheel


The Millennium Link was an ambitious £84.5m project with the objective of restoring navigability across Scotland on the historic Forth & Clyde Canal and Union Canal, providing a corridor of regenerative activity through central Scotland.
A major challenge faced, was to link the Forth and Clyde Canal, which lay 35m (115ft) below the level of the Union Canal. Historically, the two canals had been joined at Falkirk by a flight of 11 locks that stepped down across a distance of 1.5km, but these has been dismantled in 1933, breaking the link.
What was required was a method of connecting these two canals by way of a boat lift. British Waterways were keen to present a visionary solution taking full advantage of the opportunity to create a truly spectacular and fitting structure that would suitably commemorate the Millennium and act as an iconic symbol for years to come.
The resultant, perfectly balanced structure that is The Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat lift.
The Falkirk Wheel on youtube.com

Gallopin' Gertie


Watch the amazing "Gallopin' Gertie" November 7, 1940 film clip.


Highest Bridge in the World

Highest Bridge in the World