New trends in typology: Hybrid bridges, a field for innovation in structural engineering

Abstract

One of the fundamental characteristics of Javier Manterola’s attitude towards the project is innovation. His search for innovative solutions has led him to refine the canonical structural types to the limit. Furthermore, he has also been mastering in the development of more complex structural solutions that could be said to constitute hybrid structures, on which this article deals.
As it will be demonstrated in this paper, hybrid bridges are not a contemporary invention, since their more or less conscious use constantly in engineering through its history. For the author hybrid structure could be recognized as one of the obvious fields for creativity and innovation in structural engineering and the works of Javier Manterola are good examples of that design’s approach.