Bridge Design

Structural Engineering
Final Year
 History of Bridge
Development
• Bridge is one of the oldest instrument of our
Civilization.
• In pre-historic times bridge formed with
fallen trees or logs of wood
• Suspension Bridges with creepers of tree
• Oldest bridge in record is built on river
Niles in about 2650 B.C but no details are
available
 History
• A wooden bridge built by the queen of Babylon in the year
783 B.C. This bridge has wooden platform supported on
stone piers
• Alexander while returning from India used a boat bridge
in 326 BC
• Primitive Arch bridge was built in Persia, Greece and
Rome
• Oldest Existing Bridge in 350 B.C consist of 20 arches each
of 7.5 m span total length is 380 m in Babylon
 X-istics of ancient Bridges
1. Crossing to the Right-Angle to the Stream
2. Hump in the Center
3. Narrow Width
4. Absence of Foot-Path
5. Aesthetics
 Evolution of Bridge
Engineering
• Resulting Combination of the evolution of
– Structures
– Materials of Construction
– Method of Design
– Method of Fabrication
• Timber & Stone replaced by
– Wrought Iron ----- Mild Steel ----- Concrete-----
Pre-stressed------ Suspension bridges---
 Span Range
Type Material Span Range (m)
Slab Concrete 0-12

Beam Concrete 12-210

Steel 30-300
Truss Steel 90-550

Arch Rib Concrete 90-130

Steel 120-370
Arch Truss Steel 240-520

Cable Concrete 90-270

Steel 90-350
Suspension Steel 300-1400
 Components of a Bridge
1. Super Structure
– Structural members, beams, girders,
handrails, flooring, arches, cables.
2. Sub Structure
– Abutments
– Piers
– Wing Walls
– Foundations for Piers & Abutments
 Basic Definitions
• Bridge
– A structure facilitating a communication route
for carrying road, railway, pedestrian traffic or
other moving loads over a depression
• Causeway
– It’s a pucca submersible bridge which
allows flood water to pass over it. It is
provided on less important routes in
order to reduce the construction cost of
cross drainage structures
 Definitions
• Foot Bridge
– Bridge Exclusively used for carrying
pedestrians, cycles & animals
• Culvert
– When a Small stream crosses a road with
linear water way less than 6 meters
• Deck Bridge
– Bridges whose floorings are supported at
top of the super structures
 Definitions
• Through Bridge
– Whose floorings are supported at the bottom of
the super-structure
• Cantilever Bridge
– More or less fixed at one end and free on the
other end varying from 8m to 20m
• Square Bridge
– Bridges at Right-Angle to the axis of river
• Skew Bridge
– Bridges which are not at Right-Angle
 Definitions
• Suspension Bridge
– Bridges suspended on cables anchored at
ends
• Apron
– It’s a layer of concrete, masonry stone, etc
placed like flooring at the entrance or
outlet of a culvert to prevent scour
• Curtain Wall
– It’s a thin wall used as a protection
against scouring action of a stream
 Definitions
• Back Wall
– Retaining wall to support soil from approach road
• Wing-wall
– Retaining the earth from later dimension
• Floor Slab
– Provides the carriage way for the movement of traffic
• Stringers
– These are the small beams which transfer the
load from floor slab to floor beams
 Definitions
• Floor Beam
– Transfer the load from stringer to main
girder
• Girder
– Carries the load of bridge & Transfer it
to the piers & abutments
• Bearings
– These behaves as shock absorbers and
caries thermal stresses
 Definitions
• Piers
– These are the intermediate supports of a bridge
superstructures
• Abutments
– These are the end supports of the superstructure
• Effective Span
– The C/C distance between any two adjacent
supports
• Clear Span
– The clear distance between any two adjacent
supports
 Definitions
• Free Board
– Difference between the highest flood level
and the formation level of road
embankments on the approaches
• Headroom
– The vertical distance between the highest
point of a vehicle and the lowest point of
any protruding member of a bridge
 Requirements of an
Ideal Bridge
• An ideal bridge meets following
requirements to fulfill the three criteria of
efficiency, effectiveness and equity
1. It serves the intended function with
utmost safety and convenience
2. It is aesthetically sound
3. It is economical
 Selection of
Bridge Site
1. Ground Reconnaissance
2. Collection of hydraulic/ground data
3. Subsoil Investigation
4. Type of Bridge
5. Engineering Considerations
6. Social Considerations
7. Aesthetic Considerations
8. Future Requirements
9. Design Alternatives
10. Strategically needed
 Ideal Bridge Site
Characteristics
1. Geologically Suitable
2. The stream at bridge site should be well
defined and as narrow as possible
3. There should be a straight reach of stream
at bridge site
4. Site should have firm, permanent, straight
and high banks
5. Flow of water at bridge site should be
steady regime conditions, it should be free
from whirls and cross currents
 Ideal Bridge Site
Characteristics
6. It is feasible to have straight approach
roads and square alignment
7. Site providing the adequate vertical height
available underneath for navigation
8. There should be no adverse environmental
input
9. Construction facilities available
10. Time Considerations
 Types of Bridges
1. W.r.t Materials of Construction
1. R.C.C Bridges
2. Pre- Stressed Bridges
3. Steel Bridges
4. Wooden Bridges
5. Hanging Cable Bridges
 Types of Bridges
2. W.r.t Construction
1. Pre- cast Bridges
2. Cast Insitu Bridges
3. W.r.t Load Carrying Conditions
1. Compression Bridges (Arch Type)
2. Tension Bridges ( Suspension Type)
3. Flexural bridges ( Deck-Girder Type)
 Types of Bridges
4. W.r.t X-Section Conditions
1. Solid Slab Bridge
2. Hollow Bridge
3. Box- Girder Bridge

5. W.r.t Design Conditions

4. Slab Bridge
5. Deck- Girder Bridge
 Types of Bridges
1. Slab Bridge
 Slab is Supported by Abutments & Slab
is designed as one-way slab supported at
edges. The main reinforcement is
parallel to the flow of traffic
2. Deck- Girder Bridge
 The main reinforcement is
perpendicular to the flow of traffic, slab
is supported on girders (interior,
exterior)
Slab Bridge
Deck – Girder Bridge
 AASHTO
Design Conditions
1. Design is based on Elastic- Theory
2. AASHTO Stress limitations
1. fc = 0.4 fc/
2. fs = 0.5 fy
3. Span length
1. C/C distance between supports
2. Clear Span + Slab Thickness
(Which ever is larger)
 AASHTO
Design Conditions
4. Dead Load
1. (h / 12)*150 = Slab Weight
2. Weight of Wearing Surface =15 to 30 psf
3. Self weight of (a) Girder (b) Edge beam
5. Live Load
1. HS- 20 Truck
2. HS- 15 Truck
3. Equivalent Lane Load
 HS- Truck Loading

4000 lbs 16000 lbs 16000 lbs

2/

6/

2/
14 /

HS-20 Loading

3000 lbs 12000 lbs 12000 lbs

2/

6/

2/
14 /
HS-15 Loading
 Equivalent
Lane Loading
PC
w

Moment Shear
PC = 18000 lbs 26000 lbs
W = 640 lbs/ft
For HS-20 Loading

For HS-15 Loading Take 3/4 th

 Loading

• Lane Loading / Standard Truck loading

shall be assumed to occupy a width of 10 ft
• These loads shall be placed in 12 ft wide
traffic lanes spaced across the entire bridge
road way
• A 20 to 24 feet wide road shall have two
design lanes each equal to half of width of
road way
 Loading

• Each 10 feet lane loading or single standard

truck shall be considered as a unit, and
fractional load lane or fractional trucks
shall not be used
• Where maximum stresses are caused in any
member by loading any number of traffic
lanes simultaneously, following % age of
resultant live load stresses shall be used
– One or Two lanes100 %
– Three Lanes 90 %
– More Than 3 lanes 75 %
 AASHTO
Design Conditions
6. Impact Load
I = 50 / S+125
* S = Span length
I > 30 % of Live Load
 Design of
Slab Bridge
• Design of Slab
• Design of Edge Beam
 Dead Load Moment = w l 2 / 8
 Live Load Moment = HS-20 / HS-15
Live Load Moment = 900 *S for S <= 50’
Live Load Moment = 1300*S – 20,000 lb-ft
for S > 50’
or
= 16000 / E – w
E= Equivalent Lane Loading
E= 4 +0.06 * S <=7’
 Design of
Deck Girder Bridge
 (S+2)/32 * P20 ft-lb per foot width of slab
 (S+2)/32 * P15

for HS-20 P = 16,000 lbs

for HS-15 P = 12,000 lbs
 Design of
Slab Bridge
• Total Moment = D.L Moment + L.L Moment + Impact
Load moment
• M = 1 /2 * fc * kd * bjd
• K= n / (n+r)
– n = ES /EC = 29* 106 / 57000 √ fc’
• j =1 – (k /3)
• r = fs / fc
• Cover = 1.5 “ total
• As = M / (fs*j*d)
• Distribution Steel = 100 / √ S % age of main steel
• Distribution Steel =220/ √ S % age of main steel (Deck –Girder
Bridge)
 Design of
Edge Beam
• Dead Load of edge beam
• Dead load moment = wl2 /8
• Live Load moment = 0.1 pc*S
Where Pc is wheel load
for HS-20 Pc = 16,000 lbs
for HS-15 Pc = 12,000 lbs
 Example
• Design a slab bridge having clear span of 15 / a clear width of 26 / .
Live load HS-20 Truck & wearing surface load is 30 psf. Concrete
strength fc’ = 3,000 psi and fy = 40,000 psi

• Solution
– S = 15 ’
– Clear width = 26 ‘
– Live load = HS-20
– fc’ = 3,000 psi
– fy = 40,000 psi
– Wearing surface = 30psf
 Example
• AASHTO allowable Stresses
– fc = 0.4 fc ‘ = 0.4 * 3000 = 1200 psi
– fs = 0.5 fy = 0.5 *40,000 =20,000 psi

• Load Calculations
– Assuming thickness of slab = 12”
– Dead load of slab = (12 / 12 )* 150 = 150 psf
– Total Dead load = 150 + 30 = 180 psf
– Total Dead load moment = wl2 /8
= 180 (16)2 / 8 = 5760 lb-ft
 Example
• Moment Calculations
– Live load moment = 900 * S = 900 * 16 = 14400 lb-ft
– Impact moment = I = 50 / (S+125)
=50 / (16+125) = 0.3570
So we will use 0.3
Impact moment = I = 0.3 Live load moment
= 0.3 * 14400 = 4320 lb-ft
• Total Moment calculation
– M = 5760 +14400+4320 = 24480 lb-ft
 Example
• Using Elastic Theory
– k =n / (n+r)
– n = Es/ Ec = 29*106 / 57000√3000 = 9.3
– r = fs / fc = 20000/1200 = 16.67
– k = n / (n+r) = 0.358
– j = 1- (k /3) = 1- 0.358/3 = 0.881
– M = ½ fc bkd * jd
– 24480*12=1/2* 1200*12*0.358*0.881*d2
– d=11.4”
– h=d + Cover +0.5 “ = 11.4 +0.75+0.5 = 12.6”
– > 12 “
 Example
• Using Elastic Theory
– Lets assume h = 14 “
– Dead load = (14 / 12 ) * 150 = 175 psf
– W.S load = 30 psf
– Total Dead Load = 175 + 30 = 205 psf
– Total Dead load moment = wl2 /8
= 205 (16)2 / 8 = 6560 lb-ft
– Live load moment = 900 * S = 900 * 16 = 14400 lb-ft
Impact moment = I = 0.3 Live load moment
= 0.3 * 14400 = 4320 lb-ft
– M = 6560 +14400+4320 = 25280 lb-ft
 Example
• Calculation of Steel Area
– As = M / (fs*j*d)
= (25280*12)/ (20000*0.881*12.75)
d= 14-1.25 = 12.75
*

(0.5+0.75)
*

– As = 1.44 in2
– # 7 @ 5” c/c

• Distribution Steel = 100 / √ S % age of main steel

= 100 / √16 = 25 % of main steel = 0.3375 in2

• # 5 @ 10” c/c
 Example
• Design of Edge Beam
– Dead load of edge beam = ((24 “ * 24” )/144)*15
= 600 lb/ft
– Dead load moment = 600 (16)2 /8 = 19200 lb-ft
– Live load moment = 0.1Pc*S = 0.1 (16000 *16)
= 25600 lb-ft
– Total Moment = 19200+25600 = 44800 lb-ft
– M= ½ fc bkd*jd
44800*12 = ½ *1200-24”*0.357*0.881 d2
– d= 10.9 “
 Example
• Calculation of Steel Area
– As = M / (fs*j*d)
– As = (44800 *12 )/ (20000 *0.881*12.75)
– As =2.39 in2

– Use 7 # 4 bars

– Draw the Sketches Neatly

 Example
• Design a Deck-girder bridge having clear span of 48 / a clear width of
29 / . Live load HS-20 Truck & wearing surface load is 15 psf. Concrete
strength fc’ = 3,000 psi and fy = 40,000 psi

• Solution
– S = 4’- 4”
– Clear width = 29‘
– Clear Span = 48’
– Live load = HS-20
– fc’ = 3,000 psi
– fy = 40,000 psi
– Wearing Surface = 15 psf
Load Calculations

Assuming thickness of slab = 6”

Dead load of slab = (6 / 12 )* 150 = 75 psf
Total Dead load = 75 + 15 = 90 psf
Total (+ & - )Dead load moment = wl2 /10
= 90 (4.333)2 / 10 = 169 lb-ft

Live load moment = 0.80 {(S+2)/32 }* P20

= 0.80 {(4.33+2)/32 }* 16000 =2530 lb-ft
Impact moment = I = 0.3 Live load moment
= 0.3 * 2530 = 760 lb-ft

Total Moment calculation

M = 169 +2530+760 = 3459 lb-ft
 M = ½ fc bkd * jd
3459*12 =1/2*1200*12*0.375*0.875*d2
d = 4.19 in
h = 6.5” with 1” cover below # 6 bars
assumed then d=4.37 in

As = M / (fs*j*d)
= (3459*12)/ (20000*0.875*4.37)
= 0.54 in2

# 6 @ 10” c/c
Distribution Steel = 220 / √ S % age of main steel
= 220 / √4.33 = 105%of main steel = 0.56 7in2

5# 5 bars
 Design of Interior Girder
The interior girders are T beams with flange width equal c/c of
girders, the required stem dimensions governed by either Max.
moment or max. shear

Assume bridges seats = 2ft

Effective Span length from center of bearings = 50 ft

Dead load from slab on plf of beam = {(6.5/12*150)+15}*5.5

= 528 plf

Assume Section below slab = 14”x 30” (437 plf )

Total dead Load on Beam = 965 plf

Dead load moment = (965 x 502 )/8 = 302,000 lb-ft

The absolute Live load moment will occurs with
HS 20 loading on the bridge in the position shown
in the figure with distribution loads as specified by
AASHTO
Each interior girder must support 5.5/5 = 1.10
wheel load per wheel, therefore the load from rear
wheel is 16000 x 1.1 = 17,600 lb and that from
front wheel is 4000 x 1.1 = 4400 lb.