What is a Pontoon Bridge

Floating bridge refers to a bridge floating on the water with boats or pontoons instead of piers. Military pontoon bridges that are assembled by the military using standard equipment are called pontoon bridges. The historical history of the floating bridge on the Yellow River is recorded as early as in China. The Book of Songs·Daya·Daming records: "welcome to the Wei and build a boat as a beam", which records that Zhouwen Wang Jichang built a pontoon bridge on the Weihe River in 1184 BC. In the eleventh year of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 35), Gongsunshu erected a floating bridge on the Yangtze River between Yidu and Yichang in Hubei today. In the ten years of Taishi, Emperor Wu of the Western Jin Dynasty (274 years), Du Yu erected the Heyang Floating Bridge on the Yellow River near Mengjin, Henan. It has been used for more than 800 years. Abroad, Cyrus the Great of the Persian Empire built a pontoon bridge in Mesopotamia in 537 BC; King Zells I was in Hellespoon (now Dardanelles) to enter Europe in 481 BC. Strait) to build floating bridges to connect the continents of Europe and Asia.

There are two structural forms of pontoon bridges: ①The traditional form is to erect beams on a ship or pontoon and then pave the bridge deck. ②The form of boat and beam uniting, or the boat is connected end to end in a tandem type, or the boat body is closely arranged into a belt type. In order to keep the position of the floating bridge axis from shifting, cable anchors are required in the upstream and downstream. In order to connect with the two sides of the strait, transition beams or springboards need to be installed on both sides of the strait. In order to adapt to the fluctuation of water level, lifting docks or lifting trestle bridges should also be set up on both sides of the bank.

Floating bridges can be used for pedestrians, roads, and railways. The structure is not complicated, and the frame is easy to disassemble, but the maintenance cost is high. In peacetime, it can be used to respond to disasters or as a temporary transportation facility. In wartime, it can be used to ensure that the army can quickly pass the river and military standard pontoon bridges. In order to increase its mobility, light metals are often used to make self-propelled bridges.