Oct 5, 20261 min read
How a 100-meter steel bridge span grows 12 millimeters in the sun
A steel bridge deck lengthens when heated, and expansion joints provide the necessary space to prevent pressure against supports.
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How a 100-meter steel bridge span grows 12 millimeters in the sun
0:00 / 0:21A 100-meter steel span can grow in the sun. Raise its temperature by 10 degrees Celsius and it can lengthen about 12 millimeters.
The problem with expanding steel
Now the deck has extra steel to fit somewhere, and without space, it could press against its supports.
How expansion joints solve it
That's why there's a gap at the end of the deck. An expansion joint gives the steel room to move.
