Friday, February 22, 2008

安濟橋 Zhaozhou Bridge

趙州橋

Extracted from Wikipedia


安濟橋是單孔敞肩坦弧石拱橋,橋長50.82米,寬9米,南北向橫跨洨河之上,橋面分三道,中道行車,左右二道行人。大橋券上方左右各有兩個小空撞券。大橋圓弧拱跨度37.47米,圓弧拱的半徑為27.7米,圓弧拱的高度為7.23米,扁平率(拱高/跨度之半)為0.38(高寬比為 7.23/37.47 =0.19),遠低於半圓拱。實際上安濟橋圓弧段與圓心夾角隻有84°,略小於1/4圓周,基本上是一座1/4圓拱橋(坦弧圓拱橋)。1/4圓拱橋的弧長與跨度比為π/(2√2)= 1.1,半圓弧拱橋的弧長與跨度比為π/2=1.57,在同等跨度的情況下,1/4弧拱橋的弧長,比半圓弧拱橋的弧長,短少43%。因此安濟橋橋身所用石料,要比同跨度的半圓拱橋節省40%以上,既減輕橋身的自重和應力,又使橋面坡度比較平坦,便利橋上的交通。由於安濟橋圓弧拱的跨度大,圓弧拱仍然夠高,水上船隻來往通過非常方便。李春能在1300多年前的隋代意識到大跨度拱橋並不是非半圓拱不可,從而建成這種跨度大、扁平率低的單孔1/4圓拱橋梁結構,是建筑史上一個可貴的創造。

安濟橋的橋券,是由4層28道弧形石砌券並排而成,和一些漢代石橋採用的縱連砌券法不同。每道弧形石砌券,寬約35厘米。砌弧形石券的長方形石塊,長度在70厘米至109厘米不等。兩石塊之間由兩組腰鐵栓牢。為避免28道並排的弧形石砌券相互分離,李春特意設計每道弧形石砌券在橋的兩頭略大,逐漸向橋拱中心略微收小。結果使橋面在兩頭略寬約9米,橋心略窄約8.5米,相差0.5米。此種向中心受窄的設計,使得靠外邊的弧形石券在重力之下,有向內傾斜的分力,使弧形石券相互靠攏。

四個小橋券分布在橋兩端,每端個二。這種建筑式樣,稱為敞肩空撞券,也是李春獨特的創舉,既能節約石料二百多立方米,又能減輕了橋身五分之一的重量,發大水時還可以起到分洪作用,減輕了洪流對橋身的沖擊力量。由於安濟橋在工程設計上的許多優點,所以經歷了十次洪水,八場戰爭和多次地震,依然能保留到現在。

安濟橋是目前世界最古老的現存完好的大跨度單孔敞肩坦弧圓弧拱橋。歐洲到19世紀中葉才出現類似的敞肩空撞券橋。

安濟橋上個部件的裝飾也十分精美,頂部,塑造出想像中的吸水獸,寄托大橋不受水害、長存無疆的良好願望;欄板和望柱上雕刻著精美的石雕群像,各式蛟龍、獸面、花飾、竹節等,尤以蛟龍最為精美。蛟龍或盤踞游戲,或登陸入水,變幻多端,神態極為動人。雕作刀法遒勁有力,藝術風格新穎豪放。

與安濟橋同時期河北井陘縣615年建成的樓殿橋,扁平率更低,隻有0.32,但跨度小許多,隻18米。河北省還有其他兩座1/4弧形拱橋,1130年建成的宋代趙縣永通橋,跨度25.9米,扁平率0.23,為扁平率之冠,還有1175年建成的金朝灤縣凌空橋,跨度20米,扁平率0.3。

西方直到13世紀,跨度在24米以上的大跨度弧拱橋,扁平率都在0.70-0.83之間,基本上屬於半圓拱橋。例如古羅馬前62年的 Fabriccius 橋,跨度24.8米,扁平率為0.83,與圓心夾角為159°,基本上是一座半圓拱橋。1187年法國阿維尼翁橋,跨度33.7米,扁平率0.70。 歐洲現存最早的圓弧拱橋建於2世紀的Alconétar多孔橋遺跡[8],扁平率0.5-0.6(高寬比為0.25-0.3),但跨度很小,第一、二拱跨度僅僅為6.72米,7.28米。扁平的大跨度圓弧拱橋在14世紀初在歐洲始露端倪,例如1306年法國羅拿河上的 St Esprit橋,跨度34米,扁平率為0.51,無論跨度或扁平率都不及安濟橋。要到14世紀中葉開始,大跨度1/4圓拱橋才在歐洲流行[9]。歐洲到了1345年才出現跨度29.9米,扁平率為0.37的大跨度扁平1/4圓弧拱橋——佛羅倫薩的“老橋”(Ponte Vecchio)

英國漢學家李約瑟認為大跨度扁平圓弧拱橋技術,大約在馬可·波羅時代傳入歐洲。

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AE%89%E6%B5%8E%E6%A1%A5

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Duty to stop in case of accidents - Road Traffic Ordinance (CAP 374) Section 56

Extracted from Sing Tao News:

...現時法例存有灰色地帶,若司機已將車停下,只要他二十四小時內向警方投案,未必可追究其離開現場的責任,還有可能被人乘機洗脫醉駕嫌疑。

律師梁永鏗表示,根據《道路交通條例》三七四章第五十六條「發生意外時停車的責任」列明,若交通意外涉及公物壞和有人受傷,肇事司機須即時停車。不過,法例並沒規定司機必須留在現場,只要在二十四小時內向警方報告意外,便不算違法,否則可被判罰款一萬元及入獄一年。...

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/080219/60/2p4kh.html

Chapter: 374
Title: ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE
Section: 56

Duty to stop in case of accidents

Version Date:
30/06/1997

PART VII

ACCIDENTS

(1) Where, owing to the presence of a vehicle on a road, an accident occurs whereby-
(a) personal injury is caused to a person other than the driver of that vehicle; or (b) damage is caused to-
(i) a vehicle other than that vehicle or a trailer drawn thereby;
(ii) an animal other than an animal in or on that vehicle or a trailer drawn thereby; or
(iii) any other thing not being in or on that vehicle or a trailer drawn thereby,the driver of that vehicle shall stop.(2) In the case of any such accident, the driver of the vehicle shall, if required, give to any police officer or to any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring the following particulars-
[cf. 1972 c. 20 s. 25(2) U.K.]

(a) his name and address;
(b) the name and address of the owner of the vehicle; and
(c) the registration or identification mark or number of the vehicle.

(2A) If, in the case of an accident referred to in subsection (1)(b), the driver of the vehicle for any reason does not give the particulars mentioned in subsection (2), he shall report the accident in person at the nearest police station or to any police officer as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case not later than 24 hours after the accident. (Added 66 of 1984 s. 7)

(3) If the accident involves injury to any person including the driver, the driver shall report the accident in person at the nearest police station or to any police officer as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case not later than 24 hours after the accident, unless the driver is incapable of doing so by reason of injuries sustained by him in the accident. [cf. 1972 c. 20 s. 25
(3) U.K.]

(4) In this section "animal" (動物) means any horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig or goat. [cf. 1972 c. 20 s. 25(4) U.K.]

(5) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $10000 and to imprisonment for 12 months.

(6) A person who contravenes subsection (2), (2A) or (3) or who knowingly makes a false statement in supplying particulars under subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $15000 and to imprisonment for 6 months.
(Amended 66 of 1984 s. 8)