This webpage provides presentations and essays for both beginners and experts that introduce people to the world of the historic bridge. Whether you are new to the world of historic bridges looking for a crash course, or a seasoned bridge enthusiast looking for some interesting research papers, there will be something of interest for you in this collection.
A crash course in historic bridges that includes a guide to truss bridge configurations.
Note: Several formats of the presentation are available to view, including Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe PDF. PowerPoint Software is NOT REQUIRED to view the PowerPoint Version! The PowerPoint version offers the best quality, and also offers interactive menus and buttons. If you do not have Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 or newer you can still view this presentation by downloading Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer Setup (1.9 MB), which Microsoft produced and makes available for free.
Standard PowerPoint Version - 9.2 Megabytes - This version is designed for the average website visitor who wishes to simply view the presentation on their computer.
High-Quality PowerPoint Version - 66.0 Megabytes - This version is provided for website visitors who wish to edit the presentation and/or give the presentation using projection equipment. Please make yourself aware of the terms and conditions for using and editing website content for presentations on the About page.
Standard PDF Version - 10.8 Megabytes - This version is a static version, which means that the interactive buttons and table of contents will not function. This option is provided for those who cannot or do not wish to install the Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer.
This essay discusses historic bridge development with a focus on metal truss bridges and Michigan. It also discusses the rich history of one bridge, the Indian Trail Bridge in St. Clair County, Michigan. It can be accessed using two PDF versions below. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. This essay is suitable both for people interested in learning the basics about metal truss bridges, those interested in learning about how metal truss bridges changed over the decades, and those interested in learning how Michigan's bridge building decisions changed over time.
There are two versions, both with the same content, but one has compressed photos in it to reduce the file size. These are in PDF format, and so you need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available for free download at Adobe's website, to view them.
Compressed PDF Version - 1.9 Megabytes
Standard PDF Version - 4.4 Megabytes
Jason D. Smith composed this short essay that discussed the history, design, and significance of the bowstring truss bridge, which is today the oldest and rarest of the general metal truss bridge types. This essay is suitable both for people interested in learning more about an uncommon, but highly significant bridge type.
There are two versions, both with the same content, but in different file formats, so you can select which format you prefer.
Adobe Acrobat PDF Version - 31 Kilobytes
Microsoft Word Document - 55 Kilobytes
Jason D. Smith has composed an excellent, detailed essay that unravels the mysteries surrounding some of the rare truss configurations found in the United State, such as the Pegram truss, and the Kellogg truss. This essay is suitable for people wishing to learn about an unusual truss bridge they have seen, and also for those simply interested in learning how diverse and innovative the engineers of during the truss bridge era were. It is an important essay in that it discusses an area of truss bridge not previously readily available on the Internet.
There are two versions, both with the same content, but in different file formats, so you can select which format you prefer.
Adobe Acrobat PDF Version - 1.2 Megabytes
Microsoft Word Document - 1.4 Megabytes
