Sadovnichesky Bridge is a cоncrete pedestrian arch bridge

Arch bridge

An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...

 that spans Vodootvodny Canal

Vodootvodny Canal

Vodootvodny Canal is a 4 kilometre long, 30-60 metre wide canal in downtown Moscow, Russia. It was built in 1780s on the old riverbed of Moskva River to control floods and support shipping. Canal construction created an island between Moskva river and the canal. The island acquired its present...

 in historical Zamoskvorechye

Zamoskvorechye

Zamoskvorechye District is a district of Central Administrative Okrug in Moscow, Russia. Population: The district contains the eastern half of historical Zamoskvorechye area , and the territories of Zatsepa Street and Paveletsky Rail Terminal south of the Garden Ring...

 district of Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

. The bridge connects Balchug

Balchug

Balchug , also known as Bolotny Ostrov , is an island in the very centre of Moscow, Russia, squeezed between the Moskva River and its old river-bed which was turned into the Vodootvodny Canal in 1786...

 island with Zamoskvorechye mainland. It was built in 1963, designed by Nina Bragina (structural engineering

Structural engineering

Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right....

), V.A. Korchagin and K.P. Savelyev (architectural design). It is Moscow's nearest adaptation of a Moon bridge

Moon bridge

A moon bridge is a highly arched pedestrian bridge, which in its wooden form may require the walker to initially climb and also when descending. This type is associated with gardens in China and Japan...

.

History and specifications

The bridge emerged as a conduit for water pipes; pedestrian walkway is a secondary function. Arches are unusually thick for a bridge of this size due to pipe diameter (75 centimeters); bridge engineers called it Mastodon

Mastodon

Mastodons were large tusked mammal species of the extinct genus Mammut which inhabited Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Central America from the Oligocene through Pleistocene, 33.9 mya to 11,000 years ago. The American mastodon is the most recent and best known species of the group...

.

According to chief engineer, Nina Bragina, prefabricated concrete was chosen under political pressure (in situ concrete would be faster and cheaper). As a result, curved concrete boxed required extensive work and rework at the concrete panel plant.

The arch is 32.0 meters long, 6.2 meters high and 3.5 meters wide. Each end of the arch is supported by 16 piles

Deep foundation

A deep foundation is a type of foundation distinguished from shallow foundations by the depth they are embedded into the ground. There are many reasons a geotechnical engineer would recommend a deep foundation over a shallow foundation, but some of the common reasons are very large design loads, a...

, including 4 straight and 12 angled.