how much do bridges expand in hot weather & how much do they shrink in cold weather?

Question

i know they expand because of expansion joints but how much say of brent spence bride in cincinnati ohio

Answer 1

Some bridges expand quite a bit in warm weather. The Sydney Harbour Bridge expands by several inches, but because it is arch shaped, it expands as a unit, and the are sections at the end of the arch to let it slide back and forth slightly. If enginmeers didn't let steel bridges expand naturally, they would soon develop metal fatigue, and possibly even fail.
Sometimes bridges that swing open to let water traffic pass underneath expand so much in very hot weather, that they can get stuck because the metal deck has expanded while the bridge was open, and it won't fit back together again, until it is cooled.

Answer 2

depends on a few things.. how long is the bridge.. what is the bridge made out of.. how hot or cold is it.. the design of the bridge.. Humidity levels... etc..
there are lots of things to take into account..