Editing Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (section)

===Superstructures===

[[File:Akashi-Bridge-2.jpg|upright|thumb|Main supporting towers]]

The bridge has three [[Span (architecture)|spans]]. The central span is {{convert|1991|m|ft|abbr=on}},<ref name=structurae /> and the two other sections are each {{convert|960|m|ft |abbr=on}}. The bridge is {{convert|3911|m|ft |abbr=on}} long overall. The two towers were originally {{convert|1990|m|ft|abbr=on}} apart, but the [[Great Hanshin earthquake]] on January 17, 1995 (magnitude 7.3, with epicenter 20&nbsp;km west of Kobe) moved the towers (the only structures that had been erected at the time) such that the central span had to be increased by {{convert|1|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}.<ref name=structurae /> The central span was required to be greater than 1,500 m to accommodate maritime traffic; it was concluded before construction began that a larger span between 1950 and 2050 meters would minimize construction costs.<ref name=Ogihara />

The bridge was designed with a dual-hinged stiffening girder system, allowing the structure to withstand winds of {{convert|286|km/h|mph|0}}, earthquakes measuring up to magnitude 8.5, and harsh sea currents. The bridge also contains [[tuned mass damper]]s that are designed to operate at the [[resonance|resonance frequency]] of the bridge to damp forces. The two main supporting towers rise {{convert|282.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level, and the bridge can expand because of heat by up to {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} over the course of a day.<ref name=":1" /> Each anchorage required {{convert|350000|t}} of concrete. The steel cables have {{convert|300000|km}} of wire: each cable is {{convert|112|cm}} in diameter and contains 36,830 strands of wire.<ref name="structurae" /><ref name=":3" />

The Akashi–Kaikyo bridge has a total of 1,737 illumination lights: 1,084 for the main cables, 116 for the main towers, 405 for the girders and 132 for the anchorages. Sets of three [[high-intensity discharge lamp]]s in the colors red, green and blue are mounted on the main cables. The [[RGB]] color model and computer technology make for a variety of combinations. Twenty-eight patterns are used for occasions such as [[Public holidays in Japan|national or regional holidays]], memorial days or festivities.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/akashi-kaikyo-bridge-strait-japan/ | access-date = April 26, 2015 | title = Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Akashi Strait, Japan | archive-date = April 20, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150420105515/http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/akashi-kaikyo-bridge-strait-japan/ | url-status = live }}</ref>

{{Comparison_of_notable_bridges.svg|Note:=The Great Belt bridge in Denmark is missing from the interactive comparison, but it is the third longest in the world and the longest in Europe (1.6 km)}}

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