Design and analysis
19 Dec 01
New cradle system for cable-stayed bridges completes acceptance testing
A new 'cradle' system which has been designed for the USA's Maumee River Bridge in Toledo, Ohio, has successfully passed acceptance testing by Chicago's Construction Technology Laboratory. The system was designed by consultant Figg Bridge Engineers and will eliminate the need for the stay cables to be anchored in the single tower of the new bridge. In this system, stay cables will be continuous and will run from anchors in the bridge deck, through the cradle at the top of the tower, and back down to the bridge deck on the other side. The cables will be high strength steel encased in a stainless steel sheathing - in the cradle assembly, each strand will pass through its own individual tube. This arrangement means that the tower can be designed as a much more slender element.
