Most of the bridges drawn by Leonardo
date to the first years after his arrival in Milan
in 1482. The Self-Supporting Bridge is certainly the
most ingenious for its constructive and structural
simplicity. It is in fact a structure made of simple
circular-section beams to be assembled without the use of
fastenings or interlocking joints.
Once assembled, the bridge’s weight must be sufficient to exert the necessary pressure so that the longitudinal beams can block the transversal ones in place by closing like a pair of scissors, thus preventing the structure from collapsing. The greater the pressure on the upper part of the bridge, the greater its stability.
Once assembled, the bridge’s weight must be sufficient to exert the necessary pressure so that the longitudinal beams can block the transversal ones in place by closing like a pair of scissors, thus preventing the structure from collapsing. The greater the pressure on the upper part of the bridge, the greater its stability.