Bridges usually do not have the same shape and size. Bridges have many elements in common, for example to transport people from one place to another safely and as quickly as possible, to be able to support their own weight, all bridges have a pylon which supports the center of the bridge. Aspects that engineers must consider when designing and building bridges are the location and length of the bridge, the materials needed, and the type of bridge needed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first thing engineers need to take into consideration is the location of the bridge and the length because the distance on how long the bridge will be, they need to know this so they know what materials are needed to use, such as whether they are building a short bridge, fiber rope would be the most used. The lumber would be used for bridges that will be in public parks or on private property. Engineers need to know whether the bridge will cross a river, a bay or whether they will need to connect islands to the mainland. “The exact location of a bridge is carefully chosen to simplify construction, reduce costs, and ensure that the bridge is strong and durable” (Woodford). Bridges can be used completely for many different things. When you build a bridge you need to know the weight of the traffic that has to cross it. The bridge will survive all weather conditions that may occur, it will be able to withstand strong winds and snow or it will start to sway back and forth until it breaks. The bridge must be able to support its own weight and, of course, the weight of all traffic. Engineers need to know what kind of bridge they will design. It will be an arch bridge, a suspension bridge, a girder bridge or a truss bridge. “Civil engineers decide what type of bridge to build based on the weight or load the bridge must support, the distance the bridge must cover, and the forces of nature the bridge will withstand” (Lewis). Engineers need to know which length the bridge will be used most, to cause less traffic. The arch bridge is the safest bridge from the point of view of traffic and bad weather. It is the safest bridge because it can support the most weight compared to all other bridges. Engineers need to know what materials to use to make the bridge as safe as possible. They need to know the width of the bridge, build safety rails and walkways. The materials used to build bridges include rope, wood, stone, iron, and more. They need to make sure that all materials are within their budget and that they last for years so they don't have to keep replacing them. “Material durability and maintenance requirements are important considerations, as the true cost of a bridge is not simply the initial construction expense but the total cost of building and maintaining the structure over its service life” (bridge structure) . All bridges must consist of pillars that support the center of the bridge. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The materials, type of bridge, location, and length of the bridge are what I think are the three most important things engineers need to take into consideration. To create a bridge that is convenient, safe and still has a beautiful design. There are other considerations that engineers must take into account, but these are just the top three priorities when building a bridge. Bridge structure cited by Works. (2019, June 13). Federal Highway 2019).!.