A Methodology for Evaluating the Aesthetic Appeal of Bridge Designs
The appearance of bridges has always commanded the interest of not only bridge builders, but also artists, poets, merchants, farmers, or, in short, almost all who see them. This observation is equally true today, especially as the public is becoming more and more concerned with the quality of its environment. Thousands of new bridges, mostly highway related, are being designed and constructed annually. In the design of bridges safety engineers are guided by precise codes, yet in their designs few of them are guided by any sort of aesthetic rationale. In some recent references (1-10) a number of characteristics and illustrations are given to depict bridges that are said to be pleasing in appearance. Unfortunately, none of the authors offer any validation of their statements concerning aesthetic content except the force of their own personal convictions. This is not to question their conclusions but to suggest that there might be an alternate way to evaluate the appearance of bridges more systematically, a way that puts aesthetic judgments on a broad base, and is supported by rational data.
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- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
Virginia Highway Research Council
Charlottesville, VA United StatesVirginia Department of Transportation
1401 E Broad Street
Richmond, VA United States 23219 -
Authors:
- Zuk, William
- Publication Date: 1971-12
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Web
- Features: Figures; Tables;
- Pagination: 33p
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Bridge design; Building codes; Design of specific facilities; Highway bridges; Safety engineering; Structural design
- Uncontrolled Terms: Design codes
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01344863
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: VHRC 71-R16
- Files: NTL, TRIS, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Jul 8 2011 12:59PM