Arches or Beams: Why Arches Hold More Weight on Pasta Bridges

[jadoreparis30]

Why do pasta bridges made with arches or triangular peaks hold more weight than those made with a flat beam? Assume the weight is attached to the base or deck of the bridge.

 

[Danger]

An arch is inherently the strongest structure in nature, and a triangular arrangement is a reasonable approximation thereof. It has to do with how stresses are distributed. An engineer should be along shortly to give you more information.

 

[jadoreparis30]

That does make sense. Thank you for the input!