Bridge vs. Viaduct — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on July 11, 2024
Bridge is a structure for crossing over an obstacle; a viaduct is a long bridge with a series of spans for crossing a valley or gorge.
Difference Between Bridge and Viaduct
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Key Differences
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle, such as a body of water or road, without closing the way underneath. It is typically constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which could be anything from a river to a railway track. A viaduct, a term often used interchangeably with bridge, specifically refers to a long elevated roadway or railway consisting of a series of short spans supported by arches, piers, or columns.
Bridges can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, stone, steel, or concrete, and come in many forms like suspension, arch, and beam bridges. They are essential components of transportation networks. Viaducts are a specific type of bridge that are typically elevated, and while they are usually made of similar materials as bridges, they are distinguished by their multiple small spans and are often used to cross over land rather than water.
The primary function of a bridge is to connect two points over an obstacle, providing a practical route for pedestrians, vehicles, or trains. Viaducts, however, are typically part of larger infrastructure projects and are designed to carry heavy traffic over long distances, particularly when the terrain is uneven or challenging, such as in hilly or mountainous regions.
While all viaducts are bridges, not all bridges are viaducts. The term "bridge" is broader and encompasses all types of structures built to overcome obstacles. The term "viaduct" is used for longer bridges with multiple supports and usually over land. For example, the Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge, not a viaduct, because it consists of a single span over water. In contrast, the Millau Viaduct in France is considered a viaduct because it consists of multiple spans over a valley.
Both bridges and viaducts have been integral in the development of transportation and the advancement of civilizations by enabling movement and the exchange of goods and ideas. However, viaducts, with their complex and grandiose structure, often become landmarks and a symbol of engineering prowess, whereas bridges are more commonly found and can range from simple log bridges to elaborate suspension bridges.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A structure carrying a path over an obstacle
A type of bridge with a series of spans or arches
Typical Use
To cross water bodies, roads, canyons
To cross over valleys, gorges, or terrain
Structure
Can be a single span or multiple spans
Consists of multiple small spans
Terrain
Varied, often water-based
Typically land-based, often elevated
Size
Varies greatly, from small to large
Generally long and expansive
Compare with Definitions
Bridge
A construction for spanning and providing passage over a river, chasm, road, or the like.
The Brooklyn Bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Viaduct
A long elevated roadway or railway supported by a series of arches or small spans.
The scenic railway travels across the viaduct, providing breathtaking views.
Bridge
Something that provides connection or contact between two elements.
The cultural exchange served as a bridge between the two nations.
Viaduct
A bridge-like structure that carries a road or railway over a valley or other low ground.
The newly constructed viaduct reduced the travel time by half.
Bridge
A dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth.
She had a bridge fitted to improve her smile.
Viaduct
A series of spans or arches used to carry a road or railway over a wide valley or series of obstacles.
The ancient Roman viaduct still stands, a testament to their engineering skill.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually something that is otherwise difficult or impossible to cross.
Viaduct
An overpass with multiple sets of supports, resembling a series of bridges connected together.
The highway viaduct bypasses the busy downtown area.
Bridge
A structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle
A bridge across the River Thames
A railway bridge
Viaduct
A high bridge that consists of a series of short spans.
We drove across the viaduct, which seemed to float above the landscape.
Bridge
The elevated, enclosed platform on a ship from which the captain and officers direct operations
Talbot stepped across the two gunwales and made his way up to the bridge
Viaduct
A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide valley, road, river, or other low-lying terrain features and obstacles.
Bridge
The upper bony part of a person's nose
He pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose
Viaduct
A long bridge-like structure, typically a series of arches, carrying a road or railway across a valley or other low ground.
Bridge
A partial denture supported by natural teeth on either side.
Viaduct
A series of spans or arches used to carry a road or railroad over a wide valley or over other roads or railroads.
Bridge
The part of a stringed instrument over which the strings are stretched
Ebony bridges and fingerboards
Viaduct
(transport) A bridge with several spans that carries road or rail traffic over a valley or other obstacles.
Bridge
A bridge passage or middle eight.
Viaduct
A structure of considerable magnitude, usually with arches or supported on trestles, for carrying a road, as a railroad, high above the ground or water; a bridge; especially, one for crossing a valley or a gorge. Cf. Trestlework.
Bridge
The support for the tip of a billiard cue formed by the hand.
Viaduct
Bridge consisting of a series of arches supported by piers used to carry a road (or railroad) over a valley
Bridge
An electric circuit with two branches across which a detector or load is connected, used to measure resistance or other property by equalizing the potential across the two ends of a detector, or to rectify an alternating voltage or current.
Bridge
A card game related to whist, played by two partnerships of two players who at the beginning of each hand bid for the right to name the trump suit, the highest bid also representing a contract to make a specified number of tricks with a specified suit as trumps.
Bridge
Be or make a bridge over (something)
Earlier attempts to bridge St George's Channel had failed
A covered walkway bridged the gardens
Bridge
A structure spanning and providing passage over a gap or barrier, such as a river or roadway.
Bridge
Something resembling or analogous to this structure in form or function
A land bridge between the continents.
A bridge of understanding between two countries.
Bridge
The upper bony ridge of the human nose.
Bridge
The part of a pair of eyeglasses that rests against this ridge.
Bridge
A fixed or removable replacement for one or several but not all of the natural teeth, usually anchored at each end to a natural tooth.
Bridge
A thin, upright piece of wood in some stringed instruments that supports the strings above the soundboard.
Bridge
A transitional passage connecting two subjects or movements.
Bridge
(Nautical) A crosswise platform or enclosed area above the main deck of a ship from which the ship is controlled.
Bridge
A long stick with a notched plate at one end, used to steady the cue in billiards. Also called rest1.
Bridge
The hand used as a support to steady the cue.
Bridge
Any of various instruments for measuring or comparing the characteristics, such as impedance or inductance, of a conductor.
Bridge
An electrical shunt.
Bridge
(Chemistry) An intramolecular connection that spans atoms or groups of atoms.
Bridge
Any of several card games derived from whist, usually played by four people in two partnerships, in which trump is determined by bidding and the hand opposite the declarer is played as a dummy.
Bridge
To build a bridge over.
Bridge
To cross by or as if by a bridge.
Bridge
A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
Bridge
A construction spanning a waterway, ravine, or valley from an elevated height, allowing for the passage of vehicles, pedestrians, trains, etc.
The rope bridge crosses the river.
Bridge
(anatomy) The upper bony ridge of the human nose.
Rugby players often break the bridge of their noses.
Bridge
(dentistry) A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.
The dentist pulled out the decayed tooth and put in a bridge.
Bridge
(bowling) The gap between the holes on a bowling ball
Bridge
An arch or superstructure.
Bridge
(nautical) An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.
The first officer is on the bridge.
Bridge
The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.
Bridge
A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.
Bridge
A cue modified with a convex arch-shaped notched head attached to the narrow end, used to support a player's (shooter's) cue for extended or tedious shots. Also called a spider.
Bridge
Anything supported at the ends and serving to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.
Bridge
(wrestling) A defensive position in which the wrestler is supported by his feet and head, belly-up, in order to prevent touch-down of the shoulders and eventually to dislodge an opponent who has established a position on top.
Bridge
(gymnastics) A similar position in gymnastics.
Bridge
A connection, real or abstract.
Bridge
(medicine) A rudimentary procedure before definite solution
ECMO is used as a bridge to surgery to stabilize the patient.
Bridge
(computing) A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.
This chip is the bridge between the front-side bus and the I/O bus.
Bridge
(programming) A software component connecting two or more separate systems.
Bridge
(networking) A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2 of OSI model.
The LAN bridge uses a spanning tree algorithm.
Bridge
(chemistry) An intramolecular valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.
Bridge
(electronics) An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
Bridge
(music) A contrasting section within a song that prepares for the return of the original material section.
The lyrics in the song's bridge inverted its meaning.
In the bridge of his 2011 song "It Will Rain", Bruno Mars begs his lover not to "say goodbye."
Bridge
(graph theory) An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.
Bridge
(poetry) A point in a line where a break in a word unit cannot occur.
Bridge
(diplomacy) A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.
Bridge
A day falling between two public holidays and consequently designated as an additional holiday.
Bridge
(electronics) Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit
Bridge
A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; a bridge wall.
Bridge
(cycling) The situation where a lone rider or small group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front.
Bridge
A solid crust of undissolved salt in a water softener.
Bridge
(roller derby) An elongated chain of teammates, connected to the pack, for improved blocking potential.
Bridge
(card games) A card game played with four players playing as two teams of two players each.
Bidding is an essential element of the game of bridge.
Bridge
To be or make a bridge over something.
With enough cable, we can bridge this gorge.
Bridge
To span as if with a bridge.
The two groups were able to bridge their differences.
Bridge
(music) To transition from one piece or section of music to another without stopping.
We need to bridge that jam into "The Eleven".
Bridge
To connect two or more computer buses, networks etc. with a bridge.
Bridge
(wrestling) To go to the bridge position.
Bridge
(roller derby) To employ the bridge tactic. (See Noun section.)
Bridge
A structure, usually of wood, stone, brick, or iron, erected over a river or other water course, or over a chasm, railroad, etc., to make a passageway from one bank to the other.
Bridge
Anything supported at the ends, which serves to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.
Bridge
The small arch or bar at right angles to the strings of a violin, guitar, etc., serving of raise them and transmit their vibrations to the body of the instrument.
Bridge
A device to measure the resistance of a wire or other conductor forming part of an electric circuit.
Bridge
A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; - usually called a bridge wall.
Bridge
A card game resembling whist.
Bridge
To build a bridge or bridges on or over; as, to bridge a river.
Their simple engineering bridged with felled trees the streams which could not be forded.
Bridge
To open or make a passage, as by a bridge.
Xerxes . . . over HellespontBridging his way, Europe with Asia joined.
Bridge
To find a way of getting over, as a difficulty; - generally with over.
Bridge
A structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
Bridge
A circuit consisting of two branches (4 arms arranged in a diamond configuration) across which a meter is connected
Bridge
Something resembling a bridge in form or function;
His letters provided a bridge across the centuries
Bridge
The hard ridge that forms the upper part of the nose;
Her glasses left marks on the bridge of her nose
Bridge
Any of various card games based on whist for four players
Bridge
A wooden support that holds the strings up
Bridge
A denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth
Bridge
The link between two lenses; rests on nose
Bridge
An upper deck where a ship is steered and the captain stands
Bridge
Connect or reduce the distance between
Bridge
Make a bridge across;
Bridge a river
Bridge
Cross over on a bridge
Bridge
The upper bony part of the nose.
Her glasses slipped down the bridge of her nose.
Bridge
The part of a stringed instrument that supports the strings.
He carefully cleaned the bridge of his violin.
Common Curiosities
How is a viaduct different from a bridge?
A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that is characterized by its long length and multiple spans, often used to cross over land.
What exactly is a bridge?
A bridge is a structure designed to span a physical obstacle such as water, a valley, or a road.
Are viaducts found in cities or rural areas?
Viaducts can be found in both, but they're often used in rural or suburban areas to traverse uneven terrain.
Is it costlier to build a bridge or a viaduct?
Generally, viaducts can be costlier due to their size and the amount of material required.
Do viaducts support heavy loads?
Yes, viaducts are designed to support heavy loads and are often part of major transportation routes.
Are all viaducts elevated structures?
Yes, by definition, a viaduct is an elevated structure composed of a series of arches or spans.
Are viaducts considered architectural landmarks?
Many viaducts, due to their size and engineering, are considered significant architectural landmarks.
Can bridges only span water?
No, bridges can span various obstacles including water, roads, and ravines.
What are the common materials used to build bridges?
Bridges are commonly made from steel, concrete, stone, wood, or a combination of these materials.
Can a bridge be part of a viaduct?
Yes, a bridge can be a standalone structure or part of a larger viaduct system.
What is the primary purpose of a bridge?
The primary purpose of a bridge is to provide a direct route over an obstacle.
How long can bridges and viaducts last?
With proper maintenance, both can last for many decades or even centuries.
Do all bridges have supports underneath?
Most bridges do, but some, like suspension bridges, are supported from above.
What is the most common type of bridge?
Beam bridges are the most common type due to their simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
What is the longest viaduct in the world?
As of my knowledge cutoff in 2023, the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge in China is the longest.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
