INTRODUCTION TO

BRIDGE
At the end of this topic, the students are able to
1. classify the different types of bridges
2. understand the basic components of a bridge
3. explain the basic concept for bridge design
4. discuss the different design loads for bridges.
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 DEFINITION
Bridges are defined as structures, which
provide a connection or passage over a
gap without blocking the opening or
passageway beneath. They can be over
streams, canals and rivers; creeks and
valleys; road and railways or across the
ocean bodies which linking the islands.
(Ponnuswamy, 2009. Bridge Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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CLASSIFICATION OF BRIDGES

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 CLASSIFICATION BY TYPES OF SPAN
Structural System

They can be a combination of simply supported and cantilever structure

or simply supported beams provided to span between 2 cantilevers.
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 BRIDGE COMPONENTS

Superstructure Substructure
Deck Wingwall
Parapet Bearings
Approach slab Abutment
Tower/Pylon Pier
Cable Foundation

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Bridge Components

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Bridge Components

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Bridge Components: Deck
Deck type relates to the different of slabs and beams
or girders used to form the flooring system of bridges.

RC / Prestressed
Hollow slab
RC solid slab

Reinforced Concrete Beam

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 Steel beam & RC slab

RC / Prestressed Box
Girder

RC / Prestressed Box
Girder

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 Bridge Components: Parapet

Parapets are necessary to protect

both the users and the carriageways
and railways. There are several types:
• pedestrian parapets;
• crash barriers for light vehicles;
• vehicular barriers for heavy
lorries.

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Bridge Components: Abutment

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 TYPES OF BRIDGES
1. Solid / Voided slab bridge
2. Girder bridge : Beam, Box, Plate
3. Beam and slab bridge
4. Arch bridge
5. Truss bridge / Open web girder
6. Cantilever bridge
7. Integral bridge
8. Suspension bridge
9. Cable-stayed bridge
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• Simply supported – each span between two
supports is not structurally connected to the
adjacent span. One end is a free end while the
other is a hinge end.
• Continuous span – the span extend
continuously over one or more intermediate
supports
• Cantilever – span with one end fixed and one
end free. A span may be suspended between
two cantilever spans.

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• Frame – the rigid frame structure has an
integral construction of horizontal and vertical
members.
• Arches – the roadway or bridge deck is
carried on arches. The most common arch
bridges are the earth filled spandrel arches for
short spans, and the open spandrel for longer
spans.
• Trusses – a truss is a triangulated assembly of
straight steel members. The Bailey bridge is a
common form of truss bridge used locally.

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• Suspension – this consists of a hanging
catenary steel cable which is suspended from
two towers and anchored at the two ends,
and the deck is supported by these cables.
• Cable-stayed – this consists of inclined cables,
towers and deck. The deck is supported by the
cables fixed to the towers in a fan-like form.
• Culverts – culverts are considered as small
bridges. There are two types of culverts, box
culvert and pipe culvert.

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Slab Bridge (Solid/Voided)

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Beam Girder Bridge

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Box Girder Bridge

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Plate Girder Bridge

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Beam and Slab Bridge

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Arch Bridge

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Truss Bridge

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Cantilever Bridge

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Integral Bridge

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Suspension Bridge

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Cable Stay Bridge

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 PLANNING FOR A BRIDGE
1. Benefit to the community?
– Provision of a bridge crossing is for the overall benefit
of the community living either side of the project.
– Three dimension of structures
• Scientific dimension – helps engineer in evolving efficient
structures with the principle that every structure has to
perform in accordance with laws of nature. The engineers
make use of various scientific developments eg. Chemical
analysis in evolving alternative materials, physics in
interpreting the dynamic behaviour of structures and
mathematics in analysing forces and resultant flexural and
shear stresses.

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• Social dimension – to improve mobility of people and
materials and enhancing the quality of life of the
society. However, adverse effects on the environment
(change of landscape) and society (taxes, levies, tolls)
need to be considered. Factors in terms of visibility,
noise and pollution during and after construction may
be a factor too.
• Technological dimension – major technology
developments in evolution of different forms of
structures, materials, design, construction techniques,
machinery and plants

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2. Sequence in planning
i. Study the need for the bridge
ii. Assess traffic requirement
iii. Location study
iv. Study of alternatives
v. Short listing feasible alternatives
vi. Developing concept plans for alternatives including
choice of form, materials, span arrangement
vii. Preliminary design and costing
viii. Evaluation of alternatives, risk analysis and final
choice
ix. Finding resource; Detailed study; Design
x. Implementation including preparation to bid
documents, fixing agency, construction and
commissioning
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2. Traffic Assessment
– A reliable assessment of quantum and type of traffic
to plan for number of lanes and geometric design
parameters
– Predict the benefits to the society
– Some of traffic may have used nearby ferries
– Careful data collection on existing traffic pattern,
trend of growth, agricultural, industrial and
commercial developments in the affected areas
3. Location of bridge
– Analyse and consider the cross drainage before
deciding on alignment as works on alternative
alignments of a road or rail alignment can differ
considerably (15-20% of the total project cost)
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 CHOICE OF BRIDGE TYPE
• In selecting the correct bridge type it is
necessary to find a structure that will perform
its required function and present an
acceptable appearance at the least cost.
• Decisions taken at preliminary design stage
will influence the extent to which the actual
structure approximates to the ideal, but so
will decisions taken at detailed stages

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• Initial conceptual choice should take
account of:
• clearance requirements and the avoidance of
impact damage
• type & magnitude of loading
• topography and geology of the site
• possible erection methods
• local skills and materials
• future inspection and maintenance
• aesthetic and environmental aspects

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 The functional considerations that have greatest
influence on conceptual choice are:

• The clearance requirements (both vertically and

horizontally) and avoidance of impact
• The type and magnitude of the loading to be
carried
• The topography and geology of the site

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 LOADING REQUIREMENTS
• Any bridge structure has to support moving
loads, i.e. vehicles and transmit their effects
thorugh its components, to the soil on which
it is constructed.
• It has also to support and convey in a similar
manner and the self weight of its various
components.
• In addition, the structure is subjected to other
external forces

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 DESIGN LOADS FOR BRIDGES
• Dead load – from the aggregate weight of all
superstructure elements such as deck, wearing coat,
railings, parapets, stiffeners and utilities. It is usually the
first load to calculate in the design.
• Live load – means a load that moves along the length of
the span, for example vehicles and pedestrians.
• Impact effect – in order to account for the dynamic
effects of the sudden loading of a vehicle on to a bridge
structure, an impact factor is used as a multiplier for
loads on certain structural elements.

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• Wind loading – the modeling of wind forces is dynamic
one, with winds acting over a given time interval.
These forces can be approximated to a static load
uniformly distributed over the exposed region of the
bridge.
• Longitudinal forces – resulted from vehicles braking or
accelerating while travelling on a bridge.
• Centrifugal forces – for bridges on horizontal curves.
This load must be considered. Similar to longitudinal
loading, centrifugal loading results from a vehicle
travelling on a bridge and in this instance, following a
curvilinear path.
• Buoyancy – bridges with components which are
submerged underwater, for example pier.
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• Water current forces – horizontal forces are exerted on
submerged portions of substructures because of water
current. The intensity of pressure is maximum at the top
surface and linearly reduces to zero at bed level.
• Thermal forces – effects from fluctuations of temperature.
• Deformation and horizontal forces – induces by both
internal and external changes in properties of materials of
geometry of members, for example creep and shrinkage in
concrete.
• Erection stresses – some members undergo loading
conditions due to construction equipment or other types of
loads.
• Seismic forces – depend on the geographic location of the
bridge.
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