1. What is a bridge?

a structure that is built over a river, road, or railroad to allow people and
vehicles to cross from one side to the other:
A bridge is a structure providing passage over an obstacle without closing the way beneath.
The required passage may be for a road, a railway, pedestrians, a canal or a pipeline.
The obstacle to be crossed may be a river, a road, railway or a valley.
2. Factors
Designing a bridge is a serious undertaking. Depending on what it will be used for, you must
consider safety, durability and functionality. The requirements for each of these will vary with the
landscape around the bridge, the bridge size and how long it is meant to last. For every bridge,
there are some basic characteristics that describe how the bridge is made.
Bridge Span

Span refers to how many sections the bridge itself will be in and the space between
supporting structures. A continuous span means the entire bridge is in one piece. Simple spans
are built in sections that split over the weight bearing braces or columns. Cantilever spans
project beyond supporting structures and are supported only at one end.
It is important to consider how long the bridge must be, and whether or not it will be hinged.
Travel Surface Configuration

This refers to where the bridge traffic will be relative to the structure itself. With a deck
truss, traffic moves over the entire bridge structure. In a pony truss, traffic goes between two
parallel structures that have no cross bracing within the top structure section. A through truss
allows traffic to move through one large structure that is cross braced both above and below the
traffic.
Bridge Form

The form of a bridge is basically its overall shape. Beam bridges are horizontal
structures that support traffic by resisting bending, Typically made of metal or concrete. Arch
bridges get their support from an upward curving arch shape that provides support either above
or below the bridge's traffic. In addition to dictating traffic surface configuration, truss is also a
type of bridge form. Trusses are actually made of several smaller parts.
Building Material

The material used to build a bridge will generally be metal, concrete, wood or stone. The
type of material will depend on safety and functionality needs, as well as aesthetic preferences.
Surrounding Landscape

The type of landscape the bridge rests upon and travels through will dictate the terms of
many other building aspects. Soil conditions, weather and environmental concerns must all be
considered when designing the bridge.

First and foremost, engineers must understand the problem completely. To do this, they ask a
lot of questions. What are some questions the engineers might ask? (Possible answers: How
strong would you need to make the bridge? What materials would you use? How would you
anchor the pier foundations? What natural phenomena might your bridge need to be capable of
withstanding?)
Next, engineers must determine what types of loads or forces they expect the bridge to carry.
Loads might include traffic such as trains, trucks, bikes, people and cars. Other loads might be
from the natural environment. For example, bridges in Florida must be able to withstand
hurricane forces. So, engineers consider loads such as winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, snow,
earthquakes, rushing river water, and sometimes standing water. Can you think of any other
loads
that
may
act
on
a
bridge
of
any
kind?
The next step is to determine if these loads can occur at the same time and what combination of
loads provides the highest possible force (stress) on the bridge. For example, a train crossing a
bridge and an earthquake in the vicinity of the bridge could occur at the same time. However,
many vehicles crossing a bridge and a tornado passing close to the bridge probably would not
occur
at
the
same
time.
After having calculated the largest anticipated force from all the possible load combinations,
engineers use mathematical equations to calculate the amount of material required to resist the
loads in that design. (For simplicity, we will not consider how these forces act on the bridge; just
knowing
that
they
do
act
on
the
bridge
is
sufficient.)
After they have considered all of these calculations, engineers brainstorm different design ideas
that would accommodate the anticipated loads and amount of material needed. They split their
design into smaller parts and work on the design criteria for all the components of the bridge.
And the engineers also must keep under consideration the cost, you got to make sure that the
bridge you are going to construct should be economical, as the economy consideration is most
important thing in civil engineering.
3. Types of Bridges
Bridges by Structure

Arch bridges These bridges uses arch as a main structural component (arch is
always located below the bridge, never above it). They are made with one or more hinges,
depending of what kind of load and stress forces they must endure. Examples of arch bridge
are Old Bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina and The Hell Gate Bridge in New York.
Beam bridges Very basic type of bridges that are supported by several beams of
various shapes and sizes. They can be inclined or V shaped. Example of beam bridge is
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana.
Truss bridges Very popular bridge designs that uses diagonal mesh of posts above
the bridge. The two most common designs are the king posts (two diagonal posts supported
by single vertical post in the center) and queen posts (two diagonal posts, two vertical pots
and horizontal post that connect two vertical posts at the top).
Cantilever bridges Similar in appearance to arch bridges, but they support their load
not trough vertical bracing but trough diagonal bracing. They often use truss formation both
below and above the bridge. Example of cantilever bridge is Queensboro Bridge in New York
City.
Tied arch bridges Similar to arch bridges, but they transfer weight of the bridge and
traffic load to the top chord that is connected to the bottom cords in bridge foundation. They
are often called bowstring arches or bowstring bridges.

Suspension bridges Bridges that use ropes or cables from the vertical suspender to
hold the weight of bridge deck and traffic. Example of suspension bridge is Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco.
Cable-stayed bridges Bridge that uses deck cables that are directly connected to one
or more vertical columns. Cables are usually connected to columns in two ways harp
design (each cable is attached to the different point of the column, creating harp like design
of strings and fan design (all cables connect to one point at the top of the column).

Fixed or moveable bridges

Fixed Majority of bridges are fixed, with no moveable parts to provide higher clearance
for river/sea transport that is flowing below them. They are designed to stay where they are
made to the point they are deemed unusable or demolished.
Temporary bridges Bridges made from modular basic components that can be
moved by medium or light machinery. They are usually used in military engineering or in
circumstances when fixed bridges are repaired.
Moveable They have moveable decks, most often powered by electricity.

Types by use

Car Traffic The most common type of bridge, with two or more lanes designed to carry
car and truck traffic of various intensities.
Pedestrian Usually made in urban environments, or in terrain where car transport is
inaccessible (rough mountainous terrain, forests, etc.).
Double-decked Built to provide best possible flow of traffic across bodies of water or
rough terrain. Most offen they have large amount of car lanes, and sometimes have
dedicated area for train tracks.
Train bridges Bridges made specifically to carry one or multiple lane of train tracks.
Pipelines Bridges made to carry pipelines across water or inaccessible terrains.
Pipelines can carry water, air, gas and communication cables.
Viaducts Ancient structures created to carry water from water rich areas to dry cities.
Commercial bridges Modern bridges that host commercial buildings such as
restaurants and shops.

Types by materials

Natural materials
Wood
Stone
Concrete and Steel
Advanced materials

In recent years, bridges are just structures used for sight-seeing. A bridge is just something that
gets people, animals and vehicles from point A to point B. But bridges have that ability of
fulfilling mans insatiable need to discover what else is out there, making them one of our most
important architectural inventions. Here are just a few of the different types of bridges that are
out there.

Fixed Fixed bridges are the type of bridges that have no movable parts.
Movable As opposed to fixed bridges, moveable bridges have moveable parts. These types of
bridges are usually used on bridges that are used over bodies of water where boats and ships
pass through.
Temporary These bridges are usually made from lightweight modular components, making for
easy transport. They are usually used when a bridge is being repaired as an alternative for
commuters or traffic.
Beam The beam bridge is the simplest and most common type of bridge construction. A
horizontal plank (beam) runs across the gap and is supported by columns (piers) underneath.
The farther apart the spaces between piers the weaker the bridge is, which is why most beam
bridges are less than 250 meters in length.
Arch In terms of design, the arch bridge is the most reminiscent of the olden days. The focus
of an arch bridges design is the arch (could be one or more depending on the length of the gap)
thats located underneath the beam. Not surprisingly, the arch bridge is one of the most naturally
strong designs for bridges. The arches properly dissipate the force applied on the bridge,
therefore taking away much of the tension coming from underneath the structure.
Truss Among the modern bridges, the truss bridge is among those with the oldest designs. It
is easily characterized by having triangular units along the span of the bridge. Some designs
have these triangular units above the beam (through truss), while other have it below the beam
(deck truss).
Suspension The suspension bridge is the bridge of choice for large gaps. A suspension
bridge can span as long as 4,000 meters. As its name suggests, the beam in the suspension
bridge is suspended by supporting cables that run along two towers located in between two
anchorages. The tension from the deck travels from the cables, dissipates through the towers,
passes through the anchorages, and finally absorbed by the ground.
Cantilever The cantilever bridge is like a mix between the beam and the truss. Only difference
is that the triangular units counterbalance each other with the use of an arm in between. Among
the most notable cantilever bridges are the Quebec Bridge and Forth Bridge.
Cable-Stayed The cable-stayed bridge is very similar to the suspension bridge in design in
such a way that the deck is supported by cables. The only difference between these two types
of bridges is that in the cable-stayed bridge only one tower is needed.
Tied-arch The tied-arch bridge is immediately recognized with a large arch that rises from the
bridges deck. Because this particular design transfers the tension into the deck of the bridge
rather than on the ground, it is often used in areas where the soil isnt as stable.
Box Girder Bridges made from box girders are most popular for its torsional stiffness. It is
often used in constructing highways and railway bridges. Box girders can be made from
concrete (open top) or steel (orthrotropic deck).
Bascule The most famous example of a bascule bridge is probably the Tower Bridge in
London. Essentially, a bascule bridge is a drawbridge wherein counterweights sink into the
water to lift the panels of the bridge open to let ships and boats pass.
Double-decked As implied by the name, double-decked bridges have two decks or beams.
One of the decks is usually used solely for vehicular traffic, while the other is used for
pedestrian traffic.

Viaduct A viaduct is a number of bridges that are connected together to form a longer
structure.
Classification of Bridges
1.Classification of Bridges (According to form (or) type of superstructures)
Slab bridge
Beam bridge
Truss bridge
Arch bridge
Cable stayed (or )suspended bridge
2.Classification of bridges (According to material of construction of superstructure)
Timber bridge
Concrete bridge
Stone bridge
R.C.C bridge
Steel bridge
P.C.C bridge
Composite bridge
Aluminum bridge
3. Classification of bridges (According to inter-span relationship)
Simply supported bridge
Cantilever bridge
Continuous bridge
4. Classification of bridges (According to the position of the bridge floor relative to
superstructures)
Deck through bridge
Half through or suspension bridge
5. Classification of bridges (According to method of connection of different part of
superstructures)
Pinned connection bridge
Riveted connection bridge
Welded connection bridge
6.Classification of bridges (According to length of bridge)
Culvert bridge(less than 6 m)
Minor bridge(less than 6 m-60m)
Major bridge(more than 60 m)
Long span bridge(more than 120 m)
9.Classification of bridges (According to function)
Aqueduct bridge(canal over a river)
Viaduct(road or railway over a valley or river)
Pedestrian bridge
Highway bridge
Railway bridge
Road-cum-rail or pipe line bridge
4. Walang #4

5. Parts Of A Bridge
During the design process, every bridge can be divided broadly into three parts.
1.

Superstructure

2.

Substructure

3.

Foundation

Superstructure
Superstructure that part of the structure which supports traffic and includes deck, slab and
girders. All the parts of the bridge which is mounted on a supporting system can be classified as
a Super structure.
Substructure
Substructure that part of the structure, ie piers and abutments, which supports the
superstructure and which transfers the structural load to the foundations.
Foundation
Foundation is the component which transfers loads from the substructure to the bearing strata.
Depending on the geotechnical properties of the bearing strata, shallow or deep foundations are
adopted. Usually, piles and well foundations are adopted for bridge foundations.
Now let us discuss the five major parts of a RC bridge
Beam / Girder
Beam or girder is that part of superstructure structure which is under bending along the span. it
is the load bearing member which supports the deck. Span is the distance between points of
support (eg piers, abutment). Deck is bridge floor directly carrying traffic loads. Deck transfers
loads to the Girders depending on the decking material.
Bearing
Bearing transfers loads from the girders to the pier caps. Bearing is a component which
supports part of the bridge and which transmits forces from that part to another part of the
structure whilst permitting angular and/or linear movement between parts.
Pier Cap / Headstock
Pier Cap / Headstock is the component which transfers loads from the superstructure to the
piers. Pier cap provide sufficient seating for the Bridge girders and disperse the loads from the
bearings to the Piers.

Pier
Pier is that part of a part of the substructure which supports the superstructure at the end of the
span and which transfers loads on the superstructure to the foundations. Depending up on
aesthetics, site, space and economic constraints various shapes of piers are adopted to suit to
the requirement. Mostly Reinforced Concrete or Prestressed concrete are adopted for the
construction of piers. Piers are compression members. Depending on the loading and bearing
articulations, piers may be subjected to bending as well.
Pile cap and Piles
Pile foundation is the most commonly used foundation system for bridges. Pile is a slender
compression member driven into or formed in the ground to resist loads. A reinforced concrete
mass cast around the head of a group of piles to ensure they act together and distribute the
load among them it is known as pile cap.

Pile - A concrete post that is driven into the ground to act as a leg or support for
the new bridge. It is driven into the ground using a pile-driver. The pile-driver is a
machine that acts similar to a hammer hitting a nail and drives the pile into the
ground.

Cap - The cap sits on top of a group of piles and will help disperse pressure to
the piles below.

Bent - This is the combination of the cap and the pile. Together, with other bents,
act as supports for the entire bridge.

Girders - Girders are like the arms of the bridge. They extend from bent to bent
and support the bridge decking. They also help disperse pressure to the bents.

Decking - The decking is what we would consider the road surface of the bridge.
It rests on the girders, which are supported by the bents that are made up of caps
and piles.

Pier a vertical support or substructure unit that supports the spans of multispan superstructure at an intermediate location between abutments.

Abutments a retaining wall supporting the ends of a bridge or viaduct.

Deck the roadway portion of a bridge, including shoulders.

Diversion Channel a bypass created to divert water around a structure so that

construction can take place.
Embankments angled grading of the ground.