How Much Weight Can a Beam Bridge Hold?
How much weight a beam bridge can hold depends on the materials it is made of and the distance between its supports. Typically, a singular beam bridge is a maximum of 250 feet long, but several beam bridges can be combined into a longer continuous span.
A beam bridge is also called a girder bridge and is much simpler than a suspension bridge. Usually, beam bridges are constructed from steel or concrete to maintain their strength and stiffness over time. Beam bridges have a beam and piers at each end, which hold the weight of the beam.
When a vehicle crosses the bridge, the beam is compressed at the top and undergoes tension at the bottom. The piers must be close enough together that this compression and tension can be supported without collapse.
