Kazakh school student Viktor Ryzhkov has found
a way to protect bridges from spring meltwater. Following last year’s floods, he
set out to create an innovative system that responds to rising water levels. His
design allows bridges to lift during strong currents and lower back down. The
entire system operates automatically without human intervention.
«A liquid level sensor is installed at a specific
height, which is considered critical. Once the water level reaches this
threshold, the sensor sends a signal to the Arduino controller, which manages
the servo motors responsible for lifting the bridge. The main components of
this system include the transformable bridge, its supports, and a container
that simulates the riverbed,» shared school student Viktor Ryzhkov.
According to the tenth-grader, before implementing
the project, he studied bridge structures worldwide and found no similar designs.
Now, the school student hopes to find engineers who can bring his idea to life.
«We wanted to demonstrate that building such a
bridge is achievable. I believe our project will be beneficial. During floods, it
could help both the country and the people, as we have experienced significant
losses. I expect that in the future, this type of bridge design will attract
more attention,» Ryzhkov added.
In the future, the school student plans to enhance
his model by adding a gradual bridge lifting mechanism and integrating a radio
module that will automatically alert emergency services. Notably, the ‘Smart
Bridge’ project secured first place in the national competition for innovative
ideas.
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