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Pratt truss bridge
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Diagram showing three types of truss bridges-Pratt truss, Warren truss, and Petit or Pennsylvania truss-above a labeled illustration of a cantilever bridge with approach span, anchor arm, cantilever arm, and suspended span.
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Pratt truss bridge

engineering
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Diagram showing three types of truss bridges-Pratt truss, Warren truss, and Petit or Pennsylvania truss-above a labeled illustration of a cantilever bridge with approach span, anchor arm, cantilever arm, and suspended span.
truss and cantilever bridges Three common types of truss bridges and an example of a cantilever bridge.

A Pratt truss is a type of truss bridge characterized by vertical members between the upper and lower chords, and diagonal members that slope towards the center. Truss bridges, in general, are constructed from a series of triangles (trusses) made of wood or metal, which provide a stable structure capable of supporting significant loads over long spans. This design is efficient because it uses minimal material for the weight it can support.12

The individual pieces of a truss intersect at panel points. The top and bottom horizontal pieces are called chords, while the sloping and vertical pieces form the web. The components of a truss are primarily subjected to axial tension or compression. The Pratt truss is one of the two most common systems used, alongside the Warren truss.3

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  2. truss bridge
  3. truss

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