About the author  ⁄ Barry R. Colford, BSc, C.Eng, FICE

Barry R. Colford is a Vice President and Preservation Practice Leader for Complex Bridges with AECOM in North America. Barry is formerly the Chief Engineer and Bridgemaster of the Forth Road Bridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. He can be reached at Barry.Colford@aecom.com.

A Matter of Life and Health

Stretching down from the tower tops forming the main support for the load on the bridge, the cables of the suspension bridge are loosely akin to the human spine. Both cable and spine must be strong enough to withstand their load for a lifetime, responding to their imposed demands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year – without respite.

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STRUCTURE magazine