Bridges and their components

A bridge is a civil engineering structure constructed in

Bridge railway , highway, footway and service way over the
intersection of roads, rivers, streams, lakes etc for smooth
crossing of trains, vehicles , people and utility services.

Components of
Bridge
Superstructure

Bearing

Substructure

Appurtenances and
Site related Structures
Superstructure
The structural components above the level of bearing are classed as
superstructure. Superstructure provides base for moving vehicles,
trains and pedestrians. Wearing course, deck slab, secondary
members (cross beams, bracings etc.) and primary members (main
girders, truss, arch etc.) are superstructure of bridge.

Secondary
Member

Deck

Wearing Primary
Course Member
Bearing
The mechanical device placed between superstructure and substructure
to transmit vertical and horizontal load to substructure allowing some
translational and rotational movements of bridge deck.

Bearing
Substructure
The structural components below the bearing level are classed as substructure.
Substructure provides support for superstructure and transfers loads from
superstructure to the bearing soil. Abutments, piers and foundations are
substructure of bridge.

Abutment

Pier

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 Appurtenances and site related structures
Appurtenances and site related structures are the supplementary parts of
bridge structure, which are required for overall functioning of bridge.
Embankment and slope protection structure, river training structure,
expansion joint, approach slab, wing walls etc. are appurtenances.

Wing wall
Slope protection
structure River training
structures
 Components of Bridge

Steel Truss
Approach Slab RC Girder Road Way

Bearing
River

Abutment with
Pile Foundation
Embankment
protection work River Bed Pier with Well Foundation

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Different types of bridges
According to the type of
superstructure
According to the materials used in
the superstructure  Slab Bridge
 T-beam Bridge
 Timber Bridge  Box Girder Bridge
 Masonry Bridge  Frame Bridge
 RCC Bridge  Truss Bridge
 Steel Bridge  Arch Bridge
 Composite Bridge  Suspension Bridge
 Prestressed Concrete Bridge  Cable Stayed Bridge

According to the span length of bridge According to the support

conditions of superstructure
 Culvert Span ≤ 6m
 Minor Bridge Length ≤ 50  Simply Supported Bridge
Span ≤ 25m  Cantilever Bridge
 Major Bridge Span > 25m  Continuous Bridge
Length > 50m  Rigid Frame Bridge
 Special Bridge Span > 50m
Different types of bridges According to the
type of service

 Permanent Bridge
 Temporary Bridge
According to the means of
transport
According to the
 Highway Bridge profile of the bridge
 Railway Bridge
 Pedestrians Bridge • Straight bridge
 Utility Bridge • Skewed bridge
• Curved bridge

According to the
floor arrangement Curved bridge

 Deck Bridge
 Through Bridge
 Half Through Bridge

Skewed bridge 8
 Slab Bridge
Solid slab bridge

Solid slab bridge with

cantilever footpath

Voided slab bridge with cantilever

footpath

Negative aspects
 Has heavy self weight
 Economically not effective for large span
of bridge
 Can only cover small span
Positive aspects
 Increases clearance above the afflux due to the
shallow depth of slab
 Gives clean attractive appearance
 Has good lateral load distribution characteristics
due to its good torsional stiffness
 Requires low maintenance cost
 T-Beam Bridge

Multi-girder bridge deck

Twin girder bridge deck

Negative aspects

 Gives less clean appearance

 Can be economically effective up to 25 m
span of bridge
Positive aspects

 Easy to construct due to its simple geometry

 Gives economy due to monolithic construction of beam
and slab
Composite Bridge
General Arrangements of Composite Bridge
Shear Connector RC Slab Wearing
Course

Kerb

Main Plate Girder Drainage

Spout

Steel Beam
Elastomeric Bearing

Pier

Expansion Joint

Abutment

Approach Slab
 Truss Bridge

Bracing
Top Chord Joint Vertical
Diagonal Member
Member

Bridge Deck

Bottom Chord

Negative aspects
Positive aspects  Reduces vertical clearances above the
afflux due to its depth
 Easy to construct  Requires thorough maintenance regularly
 Has rigid structure and can cover  No longer economically competitive
relatively larger span (300m)  Gives rough appearance
Components of Truss Bridge
Top Lateral Bracing

Portal Bracing

Sway Bracing

Bottom Lateral Bracing

Stringer

Floor Beam
(Cross Beam)

Bearing
Box Girder Bridge

Single cell box girder

Multi cell box girder

Positive aspects

 Reduces cost of construction for large span

 Gives good appearance
 Has good lateral load distribution characteristics and
suitable for curved bridges
 Can be economically effective for span greater than
30m

Negative aspects

 Cast in situ is not simple

 Heavy machineries and high skills are required
to construct 15
 Arch Bridge
Through Arch Bridge

Positive aspects

 Gives good appearance

 Can be given economical structure if
the profile of arch is apportioned
appropriately

Deck Arch Bridge

Negative aspects

 Requires good subsoil conditions for

its foundation
Half Through Arch Bridge
 Requires high fabrication and erection
cost

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Frame Bridge

Positive aspects

 Gives good appearance

 Not requires expensive
bearings
 Gives more stable structure
 Can cover span up to 100m

Frame bridge over river intersection

Negative aspects

 Requires good subsoil

conditions for its foundation

Frame bridge over road intersection 17

 Suspension Bridge

Positive aspects Negative aspects

 Gives good appearance  Requires good subsoil conditions for

 Requires less numbers of expensive the anchorage of its cables
bearings  Can be economical only for long span
 Can be constructed without extra support  Requires thorough maintenance
 Can cover long span regularly

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Cable Stayed Bridge

Positive aspects

 Gives good appearance

 Requires less numbers of expensive
bearings
 Can be constructed without extra support
 Can cover long span
 Gives greater stiffness than in suspension
bridge

Negative aspects

 Requires taller tower than in suspension

bridge
 Can be economical only for long span
 Requires thorough maintenance regularly 19
 Karnali Bridge
[Unsymmetrical cable stay bridge in Karnali river]
 Structural Systems
of Bridge Structures
Beam Wall System

Cable System

Truss System

Arch System
Frame System
 Bridge as a Different Structure
 Mostly length of bridge structures come about large. Large length promotes
huge translational and rotational movements. Consequently, arises need of
some mechanism at the joint of superstructure and substructure in bridges,
which could allow these movements to prevent large secondary stresses.

 Primary loads on bridges are heavy moving loads. These moving loads have
governing role on the structural behaviour of bridge structure. Consequently,
arises need of minute examination of the responses of bridge to moving loads.

 Mostly bridges are built over the obstructions or in difficult places i.e. over the
river, streams, marshy land, gorge or intersection of roadway or railway, which
always adds complications in the construction. Consequently bridges are not
designed, without considering their construction methods.

So approach on analysis, design and construction of

bridge structures are different from other structures.