Bascule bridge
Moveable bridge with a counterweight which keeps the span(s) balanced during the upswing From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or double-leafed.
![]() This animation shows the movement of a double-leaf bascule. | |
Ancestor | Drawbridge, Plate girder bridge, cantilever bridge |
---|---|
Related | Lift bridge, swing bridge |
Descendant | None |
Carries | Pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, truck, light rail, heavy rail |
Span range | Short |
Material | Steel |
Movable | Yes |
Design effort | Medium |
Falsework required | Site and prefabrication specific |
The name comes from the French term for balance scale, which employs the same principle. Bascule bridges are the most common type of movable span because they open quickly and require relatively little energy to operate, while providing the possibility for unlimited vertical clearance for marine traffic.
History
Bascule bridges have been in use since ancient times, but until the adoption of steam power in the 1850s, very long, heavy spans could not be moved quickly enough for practical application.
Types
Summarize
Perspective

There are three types of bascule bridge[1] and the counterweights to the span may be located above or below the bridge deck.
The fixed-trunnion (sometimes a "Chicago" bascule) rotates around a large axle that raises the span(s). The Chicago bascule name derives from the location where it is widely used, and is a refinement by Joseph Strauss of the fixed-trunnion.[2]
The rolling lift trunnion (sometimes a "Scherzer" rolling lift), raises the span by rolling on a track resembling a rocking-chair base. The "Scherzer" rolling lift is a refinement patented in 1893 by American engineer William Donald Scherzer.[3]
The rarer Rall type combines rolling lift with longitudinal motion on trunnions when opening.[4] It was patented (1901) by Theodor Rall.[2][4][5] One of the few surviving examples is the Broadway Bridge (1913), in Portland, Oregon.[4][6]
- Animation of a double-leaf Strauss fixed-trunnion bridge (based on engineering drawings from the Henry Ford Bridge)
- Animation of a rolling lift bridge (such as the Pegasus Bridge)
- Bascule bridge in the down position
See also
- Double-beam drawbridge
- Drawbridge
- Johnson Street Bridge
- List of bascule bridges
- Moveable bridges for a list of other movable bridge types
- Straussbrug (in Dutch)
References
External links
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