Cantilever System

in structural mechanics, a system (structural design) in which the cantilever is the basic load-bearing element. Cantilever systems are used primarily in the form of cantilever beams, cantilever-hinged girders, or cantilever-girder trusses. Cantilever-arch systems are widespread in bridge building. Multispan cantilever-girder systems are the most efficient. Their advantage over continuous one-span beams is their lighter structural weight. In comparison with continuous multispan beams, cantilever-arch systems are less sensitive to uneven setting of supports and effects of temperature. Multispan cantilever-arch systems are used over the largest spans of girder bridges (for example, the Quebec Bridge with a span of 549 m in Canada and the Firth of Forth Bridge with average spans of 528 m in Scotland).