"Always," wrote Philip Larkin, "it is by bridges that we live." Bridges represent our aspirations to connect, to soar across divides. And it is the unfinished business of these aspirations that makes bridges such stirring sights, especially when they are marvels of ingenuity. A rich compendium of myths, superstitions, literary and ideological figurations, as well as architectural and musical illustrations, Of Bridges organizes a poetic and philosophical history of bridges into nine thematic clusters. Leaping in lucid prose between seemingly unrelated times and places, Thomas Harrison gives a panoramic account of the diverse meanings and valences of human bridges, questioning why they are built and where they lead. He investigates bridges as flashpoints in war and the mega-bridges of our globalized world. He probes links forged by religion between life's transience and eternity and the consolidating ties of music, illustrated in a case study of the blues. He illuminates the real and symbolic crossings facing migrants each day and the affective connections that make persons and societies cohere. In fine and intricate readings of literature, philosophy, art, and geography, Harrison engages in a profound reflection on how bridges form and transform cultural communities. Interdisciplinary and deeply lyrical, Of Bridges is a mesmerizing, vertiginous tale of bridges both visible and invisible, both lived and imagined.

This book presents a brief design approach for cable-supported bridges based on experiences from past projects, both domestic and international, that were shared by experts in bridge engineering. The specifications outlined in the book are adopted in the design of several cable-stayed and extradosed bridges in India and abroad. These specifications are in conformance with the global best practices. In addition, reference literature has been consulted during the compilation of various sections of the book. In this endeavor, the author sought suggestions and collective guidance from some eminent specialists in cable-supported bridges from the USA, Europe and Asia in order to provide a glimpse of practices across the globe. In this book, the author has attempted to highlight the basic principles of cable supported bridges and the same should be used only as a guideline for design. It is believed that the reader would have acquired sufficient knowledge of analysis and design of complex bridges before going through this book. Lastly, brief case studies of two notable Indian bridges; the Second Vivekananda Extradosed (Nivedita) Bridge and Burdwan Cable Stayed Bridge are provided. While the former is an example of extradosed structure for Hooghly River crossing, the latter is a three-pylon (first time in India) cable stayed bridge over railway tracks. These examples will elucidate the purpose of this book and make it useful to young & practicing bridge engineers.