The Sydney Harbour BridgeThe Sydney Harbour Bridge may not be the longest steel-arch Bridge in the world, but it is the largest and widest. At 48.8 metres (151.3 feet) wide, the Guinness Book of Records lists it as the widest long span Bridge in the world and until 1967, it was Sydney’s tallest structure.
Here are some more Sydney Harbour Bridge Facts:
How tall is the Bridge?
The highest point of the arch is 134 metres (440 feet). The pylons are 89 metres (292 feet) high. The Bridge was the highest point in Sydney Australia until 1967.
How long is the Bridge?
The longest span of the Bridge is 503 metres (1650 feet). The total length is 1.15km (3770 feet). The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the fourth longest single-span steel arch bridge in the world, behind Bayonne Bridge in New York, The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia and the longest which is The Lupu Bridge in Shanghai.
How wide is the Bridge?
The Bridge is 49 metres (161 feet) wide, making it the widest single-span Bridge in the world.
How heavy is the bridge?
The weight of the steel arch is 39,000 tons
How long did it take to build the Bridge?
It took over eight years to build the Bridge, between July 1923 and March 1932. Planning for the Bridge began as early as 1912.
When was the Bridge opened?
The Bridge was opened in Sydney Australia on 19 March 1932.
Who designed the Bridge?
Dr JJC Bradfield, who lends his name to the Bradfield Highway in Sydney, prepared the general design, and is considered the ‘Father of the Bridge’. The detailed design and the crucial plans for the erection process were carried out by the contractor’s consulting engineer Ralph Freeman, who later received a knighthood.
What materials are used in the Bridge?
The girders are made from steel (79% imported from England and 21% from Australian sources). The pylons are made of concrete faced in granite, which was quarried near Moruya, 300km from Sydney. Around 6 million rivets and 52,800 tonnes of steelwork and 17,000 cubic metres of granite have gone into the construction of the Bridge.
How was the Bridge Constructed?
The approach spans were erected first, then work began on the main arch. Two half-arches were built out from each side of the Harbour. Steel members were transported on barges into the Harbour and hauled into position with creeper cranes mounted on the arches, which built the Bridge out before them as they inched forward. The two halves of the arch were joined on 19 August 1930, bringing a well needed smile to the face of depression-era Sydney. The road deck was then hung from the arch from the centre outwards and was in place within nine months.
What are the coordinates of the Bridge on Google Earth?
If you want to find the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Google Earth the coordinates are 33°51′08″S, 151°12′38″E.