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How are cable-stayed bridges different from suspension bridges?

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bridge The multiple-span Seto Great Bridge over the Inland Sea, linking Kojima, Honshu, with Sakaide, Shikoku, Japan.

The primary difference between cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges lies in how they support the deck and transfer loads to their foundations.12

Cable-Stayed Bridges

In a cable-stayed design, the deck is supported by nearly straight, diagonal cables that run directly from the deck to one or more vertical towers. These cables are in tension, and their forces are transferred to the foundations through vertical compression in the towers. Additionally, the tension in the cables exerts horizontal compression on the deck itself. Construction typically follows the cantilever method, where deck sections are built outward from the towers.13

Suspension Bridges

A suspension bridge carries vertical loads through curved main cables that are in tension. These loads are transferred to the towers (via vertical compression) and to massive anchorages at either end, which must resist the inward and vertical pull of the cables. Because the deck is suspended from these curved cables, it must be sufficiently heavy or stiff to prevent excessive movement under load. Unlike cable-stayed bridges, suspension bridges rely on these anchorages to secure the main cables.24