解:
$ (1) $设$ CD = xm。$
∵$DE = 36m,$
∴$CE = CD + DE = (x + 36)m。$
∵$EC \perp AB,$
∴$∠BCE = ∠ACD = 90^\circ 。$
$ $在$ Rt\triangle BCD $中,$∠CDB = 45^\circ ,$$tan ∠CDB = \frac {BC}{CD},$
∴$BC = CD ·\mathrm {tan}45^\circ = x\ \mathrm {·}1 = xm。$
$ $在$ Rt\triangle BCE $中,$∠CEB = 31^\circ ,$$tan ∠CEB = \frac {BC}{CE},$
∴$BC = CE ·\mathrm {tan}31^\circ ≈(x + 36) ×0.6 = 0.6x + 21.6。$
∴$x = 0.6x + 21.6,$解得$ x = 54。$
答:线段$CD$的长约为$54m。$
$ (2) $在$ Rt\triangle ACD $中,$∠CDA = 6^\circ ,$$\tan ∠CDA = \frac {AC}{CD},$
∴$AC = CD ·\mathrm {tan}6^\circ ≈54 ×0.1 = 5.4m。$
∵$BC = x = 54m,$
∴$AB = AC + BC = 5.4 + 54 = 59.4 ≈59m。$
答:桥塔$AB$的高度约为$59m。$