AESTHETIC ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY BRIDGE DESIGN. BRIDGE AESTHETICS AROUND THE WORLD

Science and technology--which for ages were symbols of human greatness and were thought to lead mankind to welfare and happiness--have come to invoke anxiety and fear. The human race is losing belief in technological civilization and no longer approves of the forces that created it. Increasingly, science and technology are seen as useful only when they operate within appropriate social limits. This particularly concerns civil engineering, almost the oldest profession in the world and always a showcase of technology. This paper discusses what this change of attitude means for bridge design. The general assumptions for the shape and form of bridges are outlined, followed by a discussion of the matching of a bridge with its surroundings. Also discussed are using models to shape the forms of bridges and the basic determinants of the forms of bridges. Bridge types discussed include concrete plate and girder bridges, frame and arch bridges, and steel bridges.