A bridge is a key element of a transportation system.

Not only does a bridge is the highest cost per

mile, but it also controls the capacity of the transportation system. The bridge controls both the
volume and weight of the traffic carried. A good road network is a key to a country’s socioeconomic
upliftment.

Main Parts of a Bridge

There are different types of bridge. Different bridge types contain different parts. Followings are the
main parts of a bridge:

• Deck

• Abutment

• Pile

• Pier

• Girder

• Rail Track
Types of Bridges

Followings are the main types of bridges

1.Truss Bridge

2. Arch Bridges

3. Suspension Bridges

4. Cable-Stayed Bridges

5. Slab Bridges

7. Box Girder Bridges

According to Nepal Bridge Standard 2067, bridge can be classified as :

1. Culvert : Length up to 6 m

2. Minor Bridge : When length ≤ 50 m (with span ≤ 25 m )

3. Major Bridge : When span >25 m or length >50 m(with smaller spans)

4. Special Bridge : Bridges that require special design considerations, whose construction
features(e.g. concrete girder bridges with >50m span, steel trusses > 100m span, arch bridges,
suspension bridges, cable-stayed bridges and other nonstandard bridges).

Nepal is predominantly a hilly country, with hill areas covering approximately 64% of the total area.
There are about 6000 major and minor drainage networks in Nepal. The Koshi, Narayani, Karnali and
Mahakali are the four major river basins which are formed by Snow-fed perennial rivers and
seasonal streams. There are about 1,00,000 isolated settlements in Nepal separated by water
bodies. Connections between the settlements are severed either permanently by major rivers or
seasonally by streams which become unfordable during the rainy season. The need to cross rivers
led our ancestors to come up with various techniques such as wooden planks, homespun ropes and
steel cables. Such non engineered structures have often resulted in large number of human
casualties. Motorable access to such settlements is unlikely because of the difficult terrain of our
country. Hence, Trail Bridge is the most cost-effective, time-effective and long term solution to the
problems faced by people residing in the hills. Initially long planks of wood were used as cantilevers
to provide river crossing. Tree vines and thin bamboo strips were often intertwined as ropes and
anchored at banks to help crossing. With the passage of time, Iron chains replaced ropes as safer
alternatives.

Today more than 7000 trail bridges all over the country, constructed from Suspension Bridge
Division are connecting people from different villages and settlements. Additional 200 numbers of
bridges are being constructed every year.
Since the bridge has become a vital part of Nepal’s road system, its stability, durability, and strength
should be given foremost consideration. The soil and morphology of geological structures, the
dynamic load due to traffic running over the bridge, wind load, and hydraulic pressure due to the
river on the foundation of the bridge are the loads that counteract the stability of the bridge.
Therefore, appropriate design and precise analysis of the bridge are necessary for effective and safe
usage of the bridge.