12.1. INTRODUCTION: VARIOUS TYPES OF BRIDGES Reinforced concrete is increasingly used for highway and railway bridge construction due to its durability, rigidity, ecomomy, case of construction and ease with which pleasing appearance can be made in it, Reinforced concrete bridges may be of following types : 1, Solid slab bridge or deck slab bridge. 2 Deck girder bridge (I-beam bridge). 3. Balanced cantilever bridge. 4. Rigid frame culvert or bridge (single span as well as multispan) 5. Arch bridge. 6. Bowstring grider bridge. 7. Continuous girder or arch bridge. A deck slab. bridge (Fig. 12.1(a)| or solid slab bridge is the simplest type of construction, used mostly for culverts or small bridges with a span not exceeding 8 m. Though the thickness of deck slab is considerable, its construction is much simpler and the cost of Deck girder bridge (Fig. 12.1(b)] or T-beam bridge is another type of a simple RC. bridge used for spans between 10 to 20 metres. The number of longitudinal girders depends upon the road width. ‘The slab is generally built monolithic with girders so that T-beam effect is achieved. A balanced camilever bridge isa statically determinate structure, used for spans between 25 to 50 metres. It consists of alternate spans with projecting cantilevers, the ends of which are used to support a suspended span [Fig. 12.1(¢)]. The joint between suspended span and edge of cantilever is known as articulation, A balanced cantilever bridge is used where the width of river is large, but where due to the possibility of unequal settlement, a continuous girder ridge cannot be used. Generally, a parabolic profile for the main girder is used, A rivid tame bridee is used for onlv small drains. in which foundation conditions are good, the rigid frame may be of portal ‘pe (Fig. 12.1(d-i)]. However, if the bearing capacity is poor, a bar culvert (Fig. 12.1(d-i)] may be used. Arch bridges are used for long spans where the use of beams becomes uneconomical. If properly designed, the dead load moment in an arch are almost absent. Due to this, arch bridges offers a large head room for navigation. Arch bridges also offer pleasing apperarance. The arches may be in the form of arch slab or rib. In arch slab or arch barrel, the deck is generally supported on earth filling placed on arch slab ; such an arch is known as open spandrelfilling placed on arch slab ; such an arch is known’as open spandrel arch |Fig, 12.2(a)]. The earth is retained by spandrel walls. In arch tib, called open spandrel arch, (Fig, 12.2(b)} the deck is supported ‘on columns. The columns are sunnorted on the arch rib, Both the Ae opaNULyi axun a2 WH a> UpeH apauuieL aru vNpIVy Ly KALE arch as the main supporting member, Fig. 12.2 (¢) shows a'bow string grider bridge, which is a special type of arch bridge employing a two hinged arch standing on the abutments. The road way is supported on cross beams which in turn ofa cunnnasted hw vartioal enenandare at aithar and ‘Tha ande is termed as the bow, The arches are supported on roller and rocker bearings. A continuous bridge, shown in Fig. 12.2(d) is used for large spans, where foundations are of unyielding type. The continuous spans may have cither girders, or arches. Generally , continuous girders with patabolic shape are used.