Roman Engineers: Roman Bridges and Bridge Building

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A Typical Roman Arch Bridge

The aqueduct in the image to the right is constructed using the keystone and voussoir arch. Designed to transport an entire city's water supply and bear the weight of the water over stretches covering many miles, the above ground aqueduct was a special bridge intendeded to withstand much heavier use than most bridges built for vehicle and foot traffic.

The typical finished bridge designed for pedestrian and wheeled traffic looked much like the one in the drawing below, except that the artist has left heavy black lines showing how the stones were fitted together. The spaces between the arches were filled with smaller stones held together with pozzolana concrete. The whole structure was faced with flat stone mortared together which was sometimes reinforced with iron clamps. A concrete railing along the top kept people and animals from falling off the edge of the roadway while adding a final decorative touch to the bridge. The bases of the arches rested on stone masonry piers, which were often built on top of a boat shaped cutwater designed to allow a fast moving current to flow around the bridge supports with less erosion from swirling water and sand. Return to Roman Bridges and Bridge Building Article

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