Chapter 1 Introduction To Bridge Engineering

Chapter 1 Introduction to Bridge Engineering

Bridge is a structure that forms part of a highway that covers
a gap
Bridges carry a road or railway across a natural or artificial
obstacle such as a river, canal or another railway or another
road
Bridge is a structure corresponding to the heaviest
responsibility in carrying a free flow of transport and is the
most significant component of a transportation system in
case of communication over spacings/gaps for whatever
reason such as aquatic obstacles
obstacles, valleys and gorges etc
etc.
Bridge is the KEY ELEMENT in a Transportation System

CVEN 5800-011 Highway Bridge Design, Spring 2015, UCD, Prof. Chengyu Li

If the width of a bridge is insufficient to carry the number of
lanes required to handle the traffic volume, the bridge will
be a constriction to the flow of traffic
traffic.
If the strength of a bridge is deficient and unable to carry
heavy trucks, load limits will be posted and truck traffic will
be rerouted.
The bridge controls both the volume and weight of the traffic
carried by the transportation system.
Bridges are expensive. The typical cost per mile of a bridge
i many titimes th
is
thatt off the
th approach
h roads
d tto the
th bridge.
b id
Bridge Classifications
Span
Traffic
Materials and fabrications
Structural Systems
y
Types of Bridges by Span Lengths

Span > 20 ft - Bridge
Span < 20 ft - Culvert
Short span: 20-100 ft

Medium span: 100-330 ft
Long span: > 330 ft
Types of Bridges by Traffic

Highway bridge (trucks, cars)
Pedestrian bridge (pedestrians, bicycles)
Railway bridge (trains)
Transit g
guideway
y ((light
g rail, commuter rail))
Other types (pipelines, utilities, industrial, aqueduct, airport
structure)
Types by Material & Fabrications

Fabrications
Precast (RC/PC)
(
)
Cast-in-place (RC/PC)
Pretensioned (PC)
Post-tensioned (PC)
Prefabricated (steel)
Bolted (steel/timber)
Welded (steel)
Types by Material & Fabrications

Materials
Masonryy (brick,
(
rock))
Timber
Reinforced Concrete (RC)
Prestressed Concrete (PC)
Steel
Aluminum
Composites
Plastics
Types of Bridge by Traffic Position

Deck type
Structural components under the deck
Preferred by drivers (can clearly see the view)
Requires space under the bridge
Through type
Structural components above the deck
Obstructed view (not a problem for railway bridges)
No structure under the bridge
g
Half-through type
Types: Deck Type

Henry Hudson Bridge (1936)
Rhone Bridge France
Types: Through Type

Firth of Forth Bridge (1890), Scotland, 521m span
10
Types: Through Type

Tonegawa River Bridge (1972), Japan
11
Types: HalfHalf-Through
12
Bridge Types by Structural Systems

Beam/Girder
Arch
Cantilever
Cable-Stayed
Cable Stayed
Suspension
Others
13
Types: Beam/Girder Bridges

Common Materials
Timber
Reinforced Concrete
Prestressed Concrete
Steel
I-Beam, U-Beam, T-Beam, Box
Segmentally Prestressed Box Beam
14

The most basic type of bridge
Typically consists of a beam
simply
i l supported
t d on each
h side
id
by a pier and can be made
continuous later
Carry load in Shear and
Flexural bending
Usually used for Short and
Medium spans
Decks and girder usually act
together to support the entire
load in highway bridges
Typically inexpensive to build
15

Currently, most of the beam bridges are precast (in case of
RC and PC), steel, or prefabricated
Simply-supported
Simply supported
Cantilever
Continuous
16

Raftsundet Bridge
17

Confederation Bridge
18

Steel sections may be hot-rolled shapes (for short-span
bridge), Box section (medium span), or Plate Girder (medium
span)
19

Steel Box Girder Bridge
20

Upper: Steel Plate Girder Bridge
Lower: Prestressed Concrete I-Girder Bridge
21

Steel Plate Girder
22

Steel Plate Girder Bridge
23

Prestressed Concrete Precast sections
Box Girder
AASHTO I Girder
Segmental Box Girder
Bulb Tee Girder
Tub (U) Girder

24
25
26
27

Post-Tensioned Prestressed Concrete are often found in the
form of segmentally precast members
28
29

Segmental construction may be
constructed in 2 ways
Cantilever Construction-construct
Construction construct
from the pier equally on both sides
Span-by-Span Construction-finish
one span at a time
30
Components of Bridge
Substructure
Foundation Pile/Spread Footing)
Pier
Pi (C
(Column,
l
wall)
ll)
Abutment
Superstructure
Any structures above bearing which support the roadway
Wearing
g Surface
31
Components of Bridge
32
Types: Arch Bridges

Arch action reduces bending
Economical as compared to
equivalent
q
straight
g simply
py
supported Girder or Truss bridge
Suitable site is a Valley with
arch foundations on a DRY
ROCK SLOPES
Conventional curved arch rib
has high Fabrication and
Erection costs
Arch is predominantly a
Compression member
member. Buckling
must be worked to the detail so
as to avoid reductions in
allowable stresses.
stresses
33
Types: Arch Bridges

Arch profiles
Semi-circle (has vertical reaction force
only)
Flat arch (has vertical and horizontal
forces at the support)
Tied arch (tie resists tension force)
34
Types: Arch Bridges

Arch Bridge
35
Types: Arch Bridges
Hinge Detail at the top of an arch bridge

36
Types: Arch Bridges

Materials: Masonry, Timber, Concrete (Reinforced/
Prestressed), Steel
37
Types: Arch Bridges

Masonry Arch Bridge
Ponte Fabricio and Ponte Cestio (65 BC), Tiberina Island, Italy
38
Types: Arch Bridges

Masonry Arch Bridge
Zhaozhou Bridge (605 BC), China

39
Types: Arch Bridges

Masonry Arch Bridge
40
Types: Arch Bridges

Bixby Bridge (1932), California, USA, 320 ft span
Concrete arch
41
Types: Concrete Arch Bridge

Enz Bridge (1961), Mlacker, Germany, 46 m span, Concrete arch
42
Types: Arch Bridges

Prestressed Concrete Arch
Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge (1994), Tennessee, USA, 502 m span

43
Types: Arch Bridges
Salginatobel Bridge is a reinforced concrete arch bridge. It was constructed across

an alpine valley in Schiers, Switzerland 1930. The bridge arch is 133 metres (436
ft) long in total.
44
Types: Steel Arch Bridge

Sydney Harbor Bridge (1938), Sydney, Australia, parabolic
arch, 503 m span
45

Lupu Bridge, Shanghai, China
46

Chaotianmen Bridge, Chongqing, China
Chaotianmen
Bridge which
Bridge,
spans the
Yangtze River in
Chongqing,
Chi
China,
iis th
the
world's longest
arch bridge,
p
on April
p
opened
29, 2009. It has a
main span of 552
metres (1,811 ft)
and a total length
of 1,741 m (5,712
ft)
47

Wushan Yangtze River Bridge, China
48

Hoover Dam bridge has a length of 1,900 feet (579 m) and a 1,060 ft (320 m) span.
This is the first concrete-steel composite arch bridge built in the United States. The
twin arch ribs are connected by steel struts. The composite design used concrete
for the arch and columns and steel for the roadway deck
deck.
49

The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge 3,030 feet (924 m) long
over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia. The arch is
1,700 feet (518 m) long. The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is
876 feet
f t (267 m)) above
b
the
th N
New Ri
River.
50
Types: Truss Bridges

The primary member forces are
axial loads
The open
p web system
y
p
permits the
use of a greater overall depth than
for an equivalent solid web girder,
hence reduced deflections and rigid
g
structure
Both these factors lead to Economy
in material and a reduced dead
weight
These advantages are achieved at the expense of increased
fabrication and maintenance costs
Truss bridges are not used extensively due to its high maintenance
and fabrication costs.
g used widely
y as the stiffening
g structure for
The truss is instead being
the suspension bridges due to its acceptable aerodynamic behavior.
51

Steel Truss can be of beam type, arch type, or cantilever type
depending on the primary mechanisms
52

Some types of truss bridges can also be considered as a
beam bridge when looked globally
53
Types: Cantilever Bridges

In a cantilever bridge, the roadway is constructed out from
the pier in two directions at the same time so that the weight
on both sides counterbalance each other
Notice the larger section at the support to resist negative
moments
54
55

Steel Truss Cantilever
Prestressed Concrete Segmental Cantilever Beam
56
Types: Steel Truss Cantilever Bridge
57
Types: Steel Truss Cantilever Bridge
58

Prestressed Concrete Segmental Cantilever Beam
59
Types: Suspension Bridge

Suspension bridge needs to have very strong main cables
Cables are anchored at the abutment; abutment has to be
massive
60
61

Major element is a flexible cable, shaped and supported in
such a way that it transfers the loads to the towers and
anchorage
This cable is commonly constructed from High Strength
wires
The deck is hung from the cable by Hangers constructed of
high strength ropes in tension
The main cable is stiffened either by a pair of stiffening
trusses or by a system of girders at deck level.
The main structure is elegant and neatly expresses its
function.
62

Anchor of a suspension bridge
63

Golden Gate Bridge spans the Golden Gate. The main span is 4200 ft. The
Golden Gate Bridge was built between 1933 and 1937.
64

Golden Gate Bridge, California, USA
65

Mackinac Bridge (1957)
Michigan USA
Michigan,
1158 m span
Tacoma Narrows Bridge

(1940)
Washington, USA
2800 ft span
p
66
67

Royal Gorge Bridge (1929) Colorado, USA
286 m main span
68
Types: CableCable-Stayed Bridge
Pylon Resisting
compression from
anchorage
Main span beam
Resisting
g the
horizontal forces of
cable and local
bending
Cable Transfer the
load of main beam
to pylon
69

The use of high strength cables in tension leads to economy in
material, weight, and cost..
As compared
p
with the stiffened suspension
p
bridge,
g , the cables are
straight rather than curved. As a result, the stiffness is greater
The cables are anchored to the deck and cause compressive forces
in the deck
deck. For economical design
design, the deck must participate in
carrying these forces
All individual cables are shorter than full length of the superstructure.
They are normally constructed of individual wire ropes
ropes, supplied
complete with end fittings, prestretched and not spun.
There is a great freedom of choice in selecting the structural
arrangementt
Less efficient under Dead Load but more efficient in support Live
Load. It is economical over 100-350m, some designer would extend
the upper bound as high as 800m
70

Cable-stayed bridge uses the prestressing principles but the
prestressing tendons are external of the beam
All the forces are transferred from the deck through the
cables to the pylon
Roadway deck can be:
(Prestressed) Concrete Box Deck
Steel Box Deck
Steel Truss Deck
71

Types of Cable-Stayed Bridges
Twin, single and multi-tower
Sparse cables and dense cables
Single and double cable plane
Radiation-shaped, harp-shaped, semi-radiation shaped
Self-anchored and ground anchored
Concrete, Steel and Concrete Composite, Steel
72

Double--Towers
Double
73

Single--Towers
Single
74

Single cable plane
Double cable plane
75

Radiation-Shaped, Harp-Shaped, Semi-Radiation Shaped
76

Shapes in Transverse Direction
77

Sutong Bridge
in Sutong,
China the world
China,
longest cable
stayed bridge
with a main
span of
approximately
pp
y
3570 feet and
the tallest tower
of 1004 ft
ft.
78

Sutong Bridge
79

Sutong Bridge
At the time I
visited the bridge
site, they were
about to erect the
l t closure
last
l
segment.
80

Sutong Bridge
All steel box
segments were
fabricated in a mill
a few miles away.
Segments were
barged to the
bridge site and
lifted by the cranes
on the bridge.
81

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the
Rambler Channel in Hong Kong. The bridge is the second longest cablestayed span (3340 ft) in the world.
82

The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed bridge near Millau in southern France.
It is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343.0 metres
(1,125 ft).
The Millau Viaduct
consists of an eightspan steel roadway
supported by seven
concrete pylons.
The six central
spans each
measure 342 m
((1,122
,
ft)) with the
two outer spans
measuring 204 m
(669 ft).
83

The Sunniberg Bridge is a cable-stayed road bridge near Klosters in Switzerland. It
is notable because of its innovative design and aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Span lengths: 59 m - 128 m - 140 m - 134 m - 65 m
84

Construction sequence
Construct Pylons
85

Erect the deck away from the pylon in both of the pylons
86

Join the cable-stayed sections with the back piers
87

The concrete roadway deck is laid
88

Finally, join the two cantilevers at the midspan
89
Which type should I use?

Consider the followings:
Span length
Bridge length
Beam spacing
Material available
Site conditions (foundations, height, space constraints)
Speed of construction
Constructability
Technology/Equipment available
Aesthetics
Cost
Access for maintenance
90
Span Length
91
Cost vs. Span Length

The span length may be influenced by the cost of
superstructure and substructure
If the substructure cost is about 25% of total cost; shorter
span is more cost-effective
If the substructure cost is about 50% of total cost; longer
spans are more economical
92

CDOT Bridge Design Manual
93

CDOT Bridge Design Manual
94

Substructure here is expensive compared with superstructure
If the water is shallow,

substructure is inexpensive
compared with the
superstructure
95
Access for Maintenance

Total Cost = Initial Cost + Maintenance Cost
Bridge should be made easy to inspect and maintain
Maintenance cost may govern the selection of bridge
Steel bridge needs a lot of maintenance in coastal regions
Concrete bridge usually require the least maintenance
96
Materials
Steel
Concrete
Cast-in-place
Precast
Material
M t i l choice
h i d
depends
d on th
the costt off material
t i l att th
the
bridge site
Shipping
pp g cost from fabricators
97
Speed of construction
In urban areas, the construction of bridge may disrupt traffic
Prefabricated/Precast member are the only choice
Substructure construction may disrupt traffic more than
the superstructure erection; may consider longer spans
98
Site Requirement
Is the bridge straight or curved
Precast I-Girder cannot be
curved
d
Segmental prestressed can
have slight curve
Cast-in-place
Shipping of prefabricated pieces
to site
Is shipping channel required?
Is
I the
th temporary
t
falsework
f l
k
required? Can it be done with
the site conditions?
99
Site Requirement
Requirement for shipping channel leads to long span bridge
100
Site Requirement
In the Millau Aqueduct, the superstructure was completed
inland and pushed into the span
101
Aesthetics
An ugly bridge, however safe, serviceable, and
inexpensive, is not a good bridge
Long span bridge over a river can be a landmark; thus,
aesthetics should be an important factor
Bridge
B id should
h ld bl
blend
d with
ith th
the environment
i
t
Smooth transition between members
Avoid unnecessary decorations
Bridge should have an appearance of adequate strength
102
Aesthetics
Determinant of bridges appearance (in order of
importance)
Vertical and Horizontal geometry relative to surrounding
topography and other structures
Superstructure
p
type:
yp arch , g
girder,, etc
Pier placement
Abutment placement
Superstructure shape, parapet and railing
Pier shape
Abutment shape
Color, surface texture, ornamentations
Signing, Lighting, Lanscaping
103
Aesthetics
Vertical and Horizontal Geometry
104
Aesthetics
105
Aesthetics
106
Aesthetics
107
Aesthetics
El Alamillo Bridge
Seville Spain
Seville,
Spain, 200m
span
Highland Bridge, Denver:

The Highland Bridge over II-25
25
opened December 16, 2007.
Its gleaming white, triple rib
steel architecture certainly fits
the need for drama. Three
steel ribs arch 70 feet above
ground and span
p 320 feet
the g
over the highway.
108
Aesthetics
The Denver Millennium Bridge:
Its 200-foot (61m) white tapered
steel mast rises above Denvers
northwestern skyline, connected
to the bridge deck and foundation
anchors by steel cables. This
unique footbridge crosses
railroad tracks and the regional
light rail system, climbing no
higher than 25 feet (8m) above
street level, thereby minimizing
the height pedestrians must
climb.
109
Aesthetics
Millennium Footbridge (2002), London, UK, 144 m span
110

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What are the different types of bridges classified by?

What are the different types of bridges classified by?

What are the different materials used for bridge construction?

What are the different materials used for bridge construction?

Chapter 1 Introduction to Bridge Engineering