Coolest drawbridge ever - Leeuwarden, Netherlands (1 Viewer)

[Wingnut]

Leeuwarden Flying Bridge in Netherlands is just a Bridge in Disguise, or is that Robot in Disguise?

While the London Bridge may be awesome and the Golden Gate even more so, heres one that beats them both to a pulp in coolness. The Flying Bridge in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, Holland is more like a transformer than an actual working bridge. This awesome futuristic bridge is attached to an arm that extends over a small river. Whenever a boat has to pass under the arm simply raises the entire section up and over to the side. When the boat passes by it just lowers down and pretends to be bridge again. All it has to do is wait for the All Spark to arrive and the rest of the Transformers before we know the truth.

http://complexitys.com/english/projects/leeuwarden-flying-bridge-in-netherlands-is-just-a-bridge-in-disguise-or-is-that-robot-in-disguise/#.UyiZFaMpDFo

And videos:

Time lapse:

 

[Fat Nick]

The related videos that come up along with the Time Lapse have NOTHING to do with drawbridges...Maybe something going up, but certainly not drawbridges.

 

[Wingnut]

The related videos that come up along with the Time Lapse have NOTHING to do with drawbridges...Maybe something going up, but certainly not drawbridges.

Lol, link changed

 

[Fat Nick]

They definitely need one of these on the next Grand Theft Auto.

 

[El Floppo]

####### love.

 

[fantasycurse42]

That's awesome.

 

[OC Zed]

It seems much fancier than necessary. Architect guys (El Floppo?) and any structural engineers - wouldn't a simple draw bridge have been much cheaper to build and maintain???

 

[grateful zed]

dumb. what's wrong with the old style?

 

[Fat Nick]

It seems much fancier than necessary. Architect guys (El Floppo?) and any structural engineers - wouldn't a simple draw bridge have been much cheaper to build and maintain???

Well, sure...and an old Ford Taurus would get you around town just as well as a Ferrari, but you'd much rather buy the Ferrari, right?

 

[El Floppo]

It seems much fancier than necessary. Architect guys (El Floppo?) and any structural engineers - wouldn't a simple draw bridge have been much cheaper to build and maintain???

looks like a pretty simple mechanism to me. more money into the footing to handle the torque and more money on steel... maybe. but other than that, seems structurally and operationally no different than a "simple" drawbridge... just way, way cooler. but I'll defer to an engineer on this one- I just do apts and houses.

 

[Wingnut]

This one in Jacksonville is pretty cool, too.

Down: http://i.imgur.com/16rOofT.jpg

Up: http://i.imgur.com/W4Iao4L.jpg

 

[OC Zed]

It seems much fancier than necessary. Architect guys (El Floppo?) and any structural engineers - wouldn't a simple draw bridge have been much cheaper to build and maintain???

Well, sure...and an old Ford Taurus would get you around town just as well as a Ferrari, but you'd much rather buy the Ferrari, right?

Not if I'm paying for it as either a taxpayer or a shipper.

 

[Wingnut]

Some more badass bridges around the world:

http://www.pinterest.com/orlff/bridges/

 

[El Floppo]

This one in Jacksonville is pretty cool, too.

Down: http://i.imgur.com/16rOofT.jpg

Up: http://i.imgur.com/W4Iao4L.jpg

meh.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The Transformers! More than meets the eye!

 

[Mr. Ected]

Not a drawbridge, but Scottish cool.

 

[parrot]

It seems much fancier than necessary. Architect guys (El Floppo?) and any structural engineers - wouldn't a simple draw bridge have been much cheaper to build and maintain???

It looks to be basically a fulcrum and a counterweighted lever which is assisted by a couple hydraulic cylinders. Though it looks exotic, it's actually probably pretty simple mechanically and from a maintenance standpoint. Much simpler than many drawbridges with multiple hinged decks and winches I would think. Probably much faster too.

 

[parrot]

Not a drawbridge, but Scottish cool.

Awesome.

 

[Wingnut]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slauerhoffbrug

The Slauerhoffbrug is a fully automatic bascule bridge (aka tail bridge) in the city of Leeuwarden in the Netherlands. It uses two arms to swing a section of road in and out of place within the road itself.

A tail bridge can quickly and efficiently be raised and lowered from one pylon (instead of hinges). This quickly allows water traffic to pass while only briefly stalling road traffic.

 

[OC Zed]

It seems much fancier than necessary. Architect guys (El Floppo?) and any structural engineers - wouldn't a simple draw bridge have been much cheaper to build and maintain???

It looks to be basically a fulcrum and a counterweighted lever which is assisted by a couple hydraulic cylinders. Though it looks exotic, it's actually probably pretty simple mechanically and from a maintenance standpoint. Much simpler than many drawbridges with multiple hinged decks and winches I would think. Probably much faster too.

Color me surprised. Thanks.