CASE STUDY THE SAN GIORGIO BRIDGE, GENOA (ITALY) 9 Read the passage and answer the questions below. The San Giorgio Bridge in Genoa, designed by the architect Renzo Piano, is the replacement for the Morandi Bridge* that collapsed in August 2018, killing 43 people. The design and construction of the new bridge over the Polcevera River was completed in less than two years, respecting the construction time plan. The bridge deck is supported by 18 slender reinforced concrete piers spaced 50 metres apart, except in the central section where they are separated by 100 metres. Each of the piers has an elliptical section designed to allow the light to “slip” on the surface and help mitigate the impact on the neighbourhood below. The piers support a steel and concrete deck that is isolated by a system of devices designed to protect the structure from seismic hazards. According to Piano Studio, the underside of the deck is curved because it evokes the form of a ship. Along the sides of the bridge deck there are rows of photovoltaic panels that power its lighting and a 2.5-metre-high protective glass barrier. “The transparency of the glass makes it possible to observe the surrounding landscape by crossing the new bridge,” said the Piano Studio. The bridge is constantly monitored using a system of internal sensors which are supplemented by robots that run along rails on the bridge’s edge to monitor the superstructure externally and also clean the photovoltaic panels. Adapted from: https://www.dezeen.com/2020/08/05/renzo-piano-genoa-san-giorgio-bridge-morandi-bridge/ Why was the San Giorgio Bridge constructed? Who is the designer? Where is it located? How long did it take to build it? What is the bridge deck supported by? What special form do the piers have? How is the steel and concrete deck isolated? What form does the underside of the deck have? What function do the photovoltaic panels have? What did the Piano Studio say about the protective glass barrier? How is the bridge monitored? What is the purpose of the robots? *The Morandi Bridge was designed by the Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi. It was a concrete cable-stayed bridge, completed in 1967.