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Introducing engineering

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Figure 31 is a photograph of the London Millennium Footbridge taken from the shore, below the level of the walkway. The bridge is like a conventional suspension bridge in that it has two towers to support the suspension cables. These towers rise out of the River Thames and the central span is about 144 metres. The photograph reveals that the towers have a capital-Y shape with the suspension cables being supported by the outstretched arms of the Y. In order to achieve a low profile for the bridge, the suspension cables are much lower than in a conventional suspension bridge and the walkway is resting on beams slung between them. At the centre of the span, the suspension cables are at the height of the walkway and the beams are almost flat lengths. As the cables get closer to the towers they rise above the walkway and the walkway beams take on a V-shape with the V becoming more pronounced the closer they are to the tower.

 2.6.1 Innovation