Big Nuts and Bolts by Kaye Menner is a photograph by Kaye Menner which was uploaded on June 25th, 2016.
Big Nuts and Bolts by Kaye Menner
A photograph I captured during the Vivid Sydney 2016 festival (hence the colored lights) of the large nuts and bolts at the Millers Point (southern... more
by Kaye Menner
Title
Big Nuts and Bolts by Kaye Menner
Artist
Kaye Menner
Medium
Photograph - Photography, Night Photography
Description
A photograph I captured during the Vivid Sydney 2016 festival (hence the colored lights) of the large nuts and bolts at the Millers Point (southern end) under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The size of the nuts, bolts in the foreground are about the size of a man's hand.
For further explanation, please feel free to read the information below.
THE FINE ART AMERICA LOGO WILL NOT SHOW ON PURCHASED PRINTS OR PRODUCTS.
Work first began on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1924, with construction of the bridge approaches and the approach spans. As many as 800 families living in its path were displaced without compensation.
During this time the foundations on either side of the harbour were prepared to take four steel thrust bearings.
The Bridge structure is supported on four horizontal, cylindrical forged steel pins in the main bearings, one at each end of the two arches. This allows the movement in the arch caused by temperature variations and dynamic loading to be accounted for. The arch may rise up to 180 mm due to heating during the day and cooling at night.
The foundations, which are 12 metres (39 feet) deep, are set in sandstone. Anchoring tunnels are 36 metres (118 feet) long and dug into the bedrock at each end. Large bolts and nuts are used to tie the thrust bearings onto their supports.
It is interesting to note that the four pylons are actually placed mainly for aesthetic reasons on each corner of the bridge. The pylons are about 90 metres above the average water level. The Sydney Harbour Bridge design had to perform functionally and be pleasing to the eye as well. The pylons are made of concrete that is covered by grey granite from Moruya on the south coast of New South Wales.
When the bridge was constructed the use of reinforced concrete was in its infancy. Today the Harbour Bridge ranks second or third in the world in terms of span but it is still considered to be the greatest of its type in the world because of its load bearing capacity and width of nearly 50 metres.
Known locally as the 'coat hanger' and now more commonly as 'the bridge', the bridge was manufactured in sections on a site on the western side of Milsons Point. About eighty percent of the steel came from England while the remaining twenty percent was manufactured here in Australia. The construction of the arch was begun from both sides of the harbour with cable support for the arches. In 1930 the two arches met. The construction of the deck then proceeded from the middle outwards towards each shore as this was easier than moving the construction cranes back to the Pylons.
In 1932, when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, it was the longest single span steel arch bridge in the world. The main span is 503 meters (1,650 feet) across it consumed more than 52,800 tonnes of silicon based steel trusses. The plates of steel are held together by around 6 million steel rivets. It originally carried road transport, trains and pedestrians. From start to finish, the bridge and its approaches it took eight years to complete. This included a period of maintenance that extended for a six months after the opening. Maintenance after the completion became and still is, the responsibility of the New South Wales State Government.
Uploaded
June 25th, 2016
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Comments (5)
Kaye Menner
Thank you Megan for your comment. These are nuts and bolts under the pylon of the Harbour Bridge. Quite large. I enjoyed viewing some of your recent artwork and I left a couple of L/F's in appreciation.
Kaye Menner
Thanks so much Ann and Jeff for your kind comments. I had pleasure viewing your newer images and left a few votes as a thank you :)