How to Build a Bridge

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Build A Bridge

How to Build a Bridge

My colleagues and I at the School of Architecture in Kingston University London built a 1:3 scale replica bridge of the Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni, Japan. project date 2012, mentioned in the AJ

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Step 1 of 72
Day 1 we got timber from our sponsors and are looking at the final designs, we have been working on them for about 3 months, it's finally time for the build

Day 1 we got timber from our sponsors and are looking at the final designs, we have been working on them for about 3 months, it's finally time for the build

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Starting the 1st foundation

Starting the 1st foundation

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Corner connection test of foundation and beams

Corner connection test of foundation and beams

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Day 2

Day 2

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Cutting Metal plates for steel rods to handle sheer weights

Cutting Metal plates for steel rods to handle sheer weights

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Foundation and off cuts table :D

Foundation and off cuts table :D

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Foundation 2

Foundation 2

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Day 3

Day 3

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Base added to foundations and cross beams notched and tested

Base added to foundations and cross beams notched and tested

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In the original bridge they used metal plates we used duct tape :D

In the original bridge they used metal plates we used duct tape :D

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Load tests and decking

Load tests and decking

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Crossbracing

Crossbracing

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It works !

It works !

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Day 4

Day 4

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Fixing Second foundation and tests

Fixing Second foundation and tests

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Zigzags and decking conversations

Zigzags and decking conversations

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Possible location

Possible location

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Day 5

Day 5

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The site

The site

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The build continues with screwing taping and lots of holding

The build continues with screwing taping and lots of holding

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Day 6

Day 6

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Finishing taping and installing the zigzag members

Finishing taping and installing the zigzag members

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Decking tests and finalisation talks

Decking tests and finalisation talks

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Day 7

Day 7

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We managed to make it into 5 parts that connect at certain points

We managed to make it into 5 parts that connect at certain points

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Metal rods are here for threading

Metal rods are here for threading

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Plates are punched with holes for rods

Plates are punched with holes for rods

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Transport

Transport

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Connection

Connection

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Connected

Connected

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Day 8

Day 8

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It's all coming together

It's all coming together

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Curve members for decking and finishing

Curve members for decking and finishing

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Rods and plates are inserted, we have been using props to hold the bridge up and with the Rods we won't need to

Rods and plates are inserted, we have been using props to hold the bridge up and with the Rods we won't need to

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One small step for man

One small step for man

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Day 9

Day 9

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On site

On site

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One giant leap for us :D head of school takes 1st steps across

One giant leap for us :D head of school takes 1st steps across

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My 1st walk

My 1st walk

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Final

Final

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Next stop Eco build !

Next stop Eco build !

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At ecobuild 2012

At ecobuild 2012

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You're Done

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London / Jeddah
omarabduljawad.com/
Student of Architecture, Lover of Tech, Live for Innovation & Making this World a Better Place. Follow me on twitter icon below :D

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34 Comments
Supplies

1 Omar Abduljawad

1 Sulaiman Abedi

1 Tarek Abousakher

1 Kama Nyboe

1 Jack Syer

1 Miles Borg

1 Solmi Won

1 Chetan Hirani

1 Kaja Dahl

1 Hazim Ramadan

1 Walid Sultani

1 Jostein Vikanes

1 Daniela Marin

1 Lena Emanuelsen

1 Carl Scammell

1 Joshua Heasman

1 Arash Hosseini

1 Amarilnto Gkiosa

1 Yasmin Barnett

1 Mahdi Mongabadi

1 Julien Arnold

1 Firat Yildirim

1 Tutors :

1 Tim Gough

1 Takeshi Hayatsu

1 Kingston University

1 Sponsors :

1 James Jones & sons limited

Ecobuild

Wmaster James

David I understand you but it was interesting

Wmaster James 7 months ago

Omar Abduljawad

Thanks guys I appreciate the constructive Criticism, I was just testing the limits of the app :) see my other SIMPLE Guide :D

(author) last year

Isaac Paul

I'm in the "this is an awesome use of snapguide" camp! Indeed, it's more a photojournal than a specific how-to we can use to build our own bridges (!) but that's perfectly fine by me. Would love to see more major projects like this, bravo.

Isaac Paul last year

Dustin Gillett

This should be more "how-to" and less "hey guys look what I did". Not very helpful for someone to make a bridge.

Dustin Gillett last year

Spencer Miller

These is a fine photojournal but it's not really a guide. What type of wood do you use, how much weight do you need to support, what are the 90 degree cross joints for, etc etc.

Spencer Miller last year

Omar Abduljawad

Thanks guys check out my new guide on Balsa wood :D

(author) last year

Ali Al-Hussaini

Nice guide people :)

Ali Al-Hussaini last year

Kenneth Leong

Well impressed, wished I did this when I did my civil engineering degree!

Kenneth Leong last year

Ciktom _

Crazy cool! However, I don't think I'll be building one in my back yard by my self anytime soon. Thanks for sharing.

Ciktom _ last year

Hope Luck

Cool guide!!! I like it.

Hope Luck last year

Howl3r --

Really cool guide , but why did you build a bridge in the first place?

Howl3r -- last year

Badoor Salah

Wow! This is so cool. I've always wanted to see how bridges are built. Thanks!

Badoor Salah last year

Michael Kyllönen

Great work! :-) I would have automatically gone for wooden glued beams on concrete foundation but this is definitely nice way to build a bridge :-)

Michael Kyllönen last year

David Ellis

Hate to rain on everyone's parade, but after reading/watching this "how to" guide on building a bridge, this turned out to be a guide on "how to build a bridge if u have thousands of dollars an architectural engineering degree". This is waste of space on this app and has no use for the average person. I wasted my time looking at this and writing this review. This is something you should post on Facebook or some other site that people want to show off their work that nobody can understand how the heck they built it or be able to afford it.

David Ellis last year

Gurbani

Whether it was built beside a bridge or not, you took on a great challenge and seem to have executed it beautifully. Well done!

Gurbani last year

Michael Pinvidic

I'm into carpentry.your bridge is really awesome.nice job

Michael Pinvidic last year

Omar Abduljawad

Check out the supplies to see the people involved :)

(author) last year

Don Kaled

@gabriel. It gives an idea...its not shopdrawings if ur in d same feild of engineering...@omar . gr8 work brothers..i so wish i were wd u..which summester are u at n ur studies..

Don Kaled last year

Gabriel Lundmark

As a guide, this wasn't any good. You need to describe each step for it to be helpful. As it is now, it's merely a blog post about what you did with your friends.

Gabriel Lundmark last year

Steven Edwards

Outstanding work, on the bridge and the snap guide. Well done:)

Steven Edwards last year

Omar Abduljawad

Thank you all :D

(author) last year

Jonathan Janes

Why did you build a bridge right next to a bridge?

Jonathan Janes last year

Steph Pheonix.

That is absolutely beautiful. I love the save the planet table of scraps. <3.

Steph Pheonix. last year

Barry Ward

Wow, awesome.

Barry Ward last year

Abang Kanong

Probably after this guide there will be a person/group to make a crazier guide. Assembling a ferrari probably. LOL. U r awesome.

Abang Kanong last year

Rev Car

Just reading your snapguide title made me laugh. A big contrast between how to make a Caesar Salad and how to make a bridge. Well done

Rev Car last year

Brittney Riley

Thanks for the captions :)

Brittney Riley last year

Omar Abduljawad

Zero :D we had a timber company to sponser us

(author) last year

Abang Kanong

LOL. Now here's my limit. How much money do u spend to make this bridge??

Abang Kanong last year

Omar Abduljawad

Great app !

(author) last year

Omar Abduljawad

I added the text :)

(author) last year

Rahul Malik

Glad to see your pushing the app to its limits :)

Rahul Malik last year

Omar Abduljawad

Oh thank you will do I'm still just testing the app out seeing if there is any limitations and what not lol but will add a full description if it gets a bit more views maybe :D

(author) last year

Brittney Riley

This is amazing. A full story of how a bridge is made with great pictures. I know it's long, but captions would really help tell the story of the process :)

Brittney Riley last year

Omar Abduljawad

Check out the supplies to see the people involved

(author) last year

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Sam Wallace

So good. Nailed it!

Sam Wallace last year

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Omar Abduljawad

Thanks ;)

(author) last year

Lara Lima

This is awesome!!!

Lara Lima last year

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