Role of Bridge Engineer

ENCE 717
The bridge engineer is often involved with several or all
BRIDGE ENGINEERING
„
aspects of bridge planning, design, and management
„ The bridge engineer works closely with other civil engineers
who are in charge of the roadway design and alignment.
C. C. Fu, Ph.D., P.E. „ After the alignment is determined, the bridge engineer often
controls the bridge type, aesthetics, and technical details
The BEST Center „ The bridge engineer is often charged with reviewing shop
University of Maryland drawing and often construction details
„ The owner, who is often a department of transportation or
September 2008 other public agency, is charged with the management of the
bridge, either doing the work in-house or hiring consultants

Role of Bridge Engineer (cont.) Bridge Structure Selection

„ Bridge management includes routine inspections, repair,
rehabilitation and retrofits or even replacement (4R) as „ Environmental Assessment Consideration (Appendix A:
necessary FHWA Order)
„ In summary, the bridge engineer has significant control „ Historic: consulting with the State Historic

over the design, construction, and maintenance Preservation Officer

processes. In return, bridge engineer has significant „ Construction Impact
responsibility for public safety and resources
„ Flood Plain (stream or river subject to overflow)
„ In short, the bridge is (or interface closely with) the
„ Wetlands
planner, architect, designer, constructor, and facility
„ “Landmark”
manager.

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 Bridge Structure Selection (cont.) Bridge Structure Selection (cont.)
„ Design Philosophy „ Life Costs vs. First Cost
„ Safety “Ideal” Life-Cycle Costs
„ Serviceability (including durability of materials) LCC = DC + BC + OC + LP + RC
„ Inspectability where
„ Maintainability DC = Design Costs
„ Rideability BC = Estimated Bid Costs
„ Deformations (Deflections) OC = Estimated Maintenance/Operating Costs
„ Constructability LP = Cost accrued by the traveling public due to delays
„ Economy (Appendix B: Economic Evaluation; and detours required for maintenance and/or
Appendix C: Caltran Estimate) rehabilitation
„ Bridge Aesthetics RC = Rehabilitation/Replacement Construction Costs

Bridge Structure Selection (cont.) Basic Types of Spans

„ Parameters in selecting the Type, Size and Location (TS&L)
The three basic types of spans are shown below. Any
„ Span Length (pier location, site constraints, best
of these spans may be constructed using beams,
combination of super- and sub-structure costs)
girders or trusses. Arch bridges are either simple or
„ Accessibility to the site (weight limit, on-site fabrication)
continuous (hinged). A cantilever bridge may also
„ Estimated Costs
include a suspended span.
„ Beam Spacing

„ Material Availability (local supplier?)

„ Time available for design and construction (urban area

time constraints)
„ Geometry – curved or straight?

„ Deck Superstructures (Appendix D: Common Deck

Superstructures)

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 Type of Bridges Type of Bridges
(Appendix E: Span Ranges for Various Bridge Types; A. Main Structure Coincides with the Deck Line
Appendix F: Penn DOT’s Selection of Bridge Types; 1. Slab (solid and voided)
2. T-beam (cast-in-place)
Appendix G: Caltran’s Types of Structures)
3. I-beam (precast or prestressed)
4. Wide-flange beam (composite and noncomposite)
Types of Bridges: 5. Concrete box (cast-in-place and segmental,
A. Main Structure Coincides with the Deck Line prestressed)
B. Main Structure Below the Deck Line 6. Steel Box (orthotropic deck)
7. Steel plate girder (straight and haunched)
C. Main Structure Above the Deck Line

Beam/Girder Bridge Girder Bridge Example

Simple deck beam bridges are usually metal or reinforced
concrete. Other beam and girder types are constructed of
metal. The end section of the two deck configuration
shows the cross-bracing commonly used between beams.
The pony end section shows knee braces which prevent
deflection where the girders and deck meet.

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 Type of Bridges Type of Bridges
B. Main Structure Below the Deck Line C. Main Structure Above the Deck Line
1. Masonry arch 1. Suspension
Concrete arch
2. Cable-stayed
2.

3. Steel truss-arch
3. Through-truss
4. Steel deck truss
4. Suspension – O’Connor
5. Rigid frame
6. Inclined leg frame 5. Cable-stayed

7. Arch – O’Connor 6. Truss

Rigid Frame Bridge Rigid Frame Bridge (cont.)

Many modern bridges use new designs developed

using computer stress analysis. The rigid frame type
has superstructure and substructure which are
integrated. Commonly, the legs or the intersection of
the leg and deck are a single piece which is riveted to
other sections.

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 Arch Bridge Tied Arch Bridge
The double-decked Fremont
There are several ways to classify arch bridges. The Bridge, Portland, Orgeon
placement of the deck in relation to the superstructure
provides the descriptive terms used in all bridges: deck, The tied arch span: 902 feet
pony, and through. Built: 1973

Arch Bridge (cont.) Deck Arch Truss

Some metal bridges which appear to be open spandrel
deck arch are, in fact, cantilever; these rely on diagonal
bracing. A true arch bridge relies on vertical members to
transmit the load which is carried by the arch.

New River Gorge bridge, Fayetteville, WV

Main span length: 1700 ft., Built: 1978

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 Truss Bridge Pratt Truss
Examples of the three common travel surface configurations The Pratt truss is a very common type, but has many
are shown in the Truss type drawings below. In a Deck variations. Originally designed by Thomas and Caleb Pratt in
configuration, traffic travels on top of the main structure; in 1844, the Pratt truss successfully made the transition from
a Pony configuration, traffic travels between parallel wood designs to metal. The basic identifying features are
superstructures which are not cross-braced at the top; in a the diagonal web members which form a V-shape. The
Through configuration, traffic travels through the center section commonly has crossing diagonal members.
superstructure (usually a truss) which is cross-braced above Additional counter braces may be used and can make
and below the traffic. identification more difficult, however the Pratt and its
variations are the most common type of all trusses.

Warren Truss Howe Truss

A Warren truss, patented by James Warren and Willoughby The other truss types shown are less common on modern
Monzoni of Great Britain in 1848, can be identified by the bridges. A Howe truss at first appears similar to a Pratt truss,
presence of many equilateral or isoceles triangles formed by but the Howe diagonal web members are inclined toward the
the web members which connect the top and bottom center of the span to form A-shapes. The vertical members
chords. These triangles may also be further subdivided. are in tension while the diagonal members are in
Warren truss may also be found in covered bridge designs. compression, exactly opposite the structure of a Pratt truss.
Patented in 1840 by William Howe, this design was common
on early railroads. The Howe truss was patented as an
improvement to the Long truss which is discussed with
covered bridge types.

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 Cantilever Truss Cantilever Truss (cont.)
A cantilever is a structural member which projects beyond its Some bridges which appear to be arch type are, in fact,
support and is supported at only one end. Cantilever bridges cantilever truss. These may be identified by the diagonal
are constructed using trusses, beams, or girders. Employing braces which are used in the open spandrel. A true arch
the cantilever principles allows structures to achieve spans bridge relies on vertical members to transfer the load to the
longer than simple spans of the same superstructure type. arch. Pratt and Warren bracing are among the most
They may also include a suspended span which hangs commonly used truss types.
between the ends of opposing cantilever arms.

Cantilever Through Truss Bridge Truss

„ A bridge truss has two major structural advantages:
(1) the primary member forces are axial loads; (2)
the open web system permits the use of a greater
overall depth than for an equivalent solid web girder.
Both these factors lead to economy in material and a
reduced dead weight. The increased depth also
leads to reduced deflections, that is, a more rigid
structure.
„ These advantages are achieved at the expense of
Forth Bridge, Queensferry, Scotland increased fabrication and maintenance costs.
Main sections: 5360 ft., Maximum span: 1710(2), 4
spans total, Built: 1890

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 Suspension Bridge Suspension Bridge (cont.)
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge(AKB)
The longest bridges in the world are suspension bridges or between Kobe and Awaji Island,
their cousins, the cable-stayed bridge. The deck is hung Japan
from suspenders of wire rope, eyebars or other materials.
Total Length:3,911m
Materials for the other parts also vary: piers may be steel
or masonry; the deck may be made of girders or trussed. Section Length: 960 m + 1,991
m + 960 m

Suspension – O’Connor Suspension – by O’Connor (cont.)

„ The major element of the stiffened suspension bridge is „ This stiffening system serves to (a) control
a flexible cable, shaped and supported in such a way aerodynamic movements and (b) limit local angle
that it can transfer the major loads to the towers and changes in the deck. It may be unnecessary in cases
anchorages by direct tension. where the dead load is great.
„ The complete structure can be erected without
„ This cable is commonly constructed from high strength intermediate staging from the ground.
wires, either case the allowable stresses are high,
„ The main structure is elegant and neatly expresses it
typically of the order of 600 MPa for parallel stands.
function.
„ The deck is hung from the cable by hangers „ The height of the main towers can be a disadvantage
constructed of high strength wire ropes in tension. in some areas; for example, within the approach
circuits for an airport.

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 Cable-stayed Bridge
Suspension – by O’Connor (cont.)
The cable-stayed bridge is
„ It is the only alternative for spans over 600 m, and it is becoming very popular. A great
generally regarded as competitive for spans down to advantage of the cable-stayed
300 m. However, even shorter spans have been built, bridge is that it is essentially made
including some very attractive pedestrian bridges. of cantilevers, and can be
constructed by building out from the
Westbound (1973) towers.
Eastbound (1952)
suspension (truss
deck) (1600 ft.)
,truss (480 ft.)
,truss (600 ft.)
,truss (780 ft.)

Cable-stayed Bridge (cont.) Cable-stayed

„ The use of high strength cables in tension leads to
economy in material, weight, and cost.
„ As compared with the stiffened suspension bridge,
the cables are straight rather than curved. As a
result, the stiffness is greater. It will be recalled that
the nonlinearity of the stiffened suspension bridge
results from changes in the cable curvature and the
corresponding change in bending moment taken by
the dead-load cable tension. The phenomenon
cannot occur in an arrangement with straight cables.
Normandy Bridge on the river Seine, near Le Havre (France).
Main span: 856-m, Total length: 2141-m, Built: 1995

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 Cable-stayed Cable-stayed
„ The cables are anchored to the deck and cause „ There is great freedom of choice in selecting the
compressive forces in the deck. For economical structural arrangement.
design, the deck system must participate in carrying
these forces. In a concrete structure, this axial force „ Compared with the stiffened suspension bridge, the
compresses the deck. cable-braced girder bridge tends to be less efficient
in supporting dead load, but more efficient under live
„ All individual cables are shorter than the full length of
the superstructure. They are normally constructed of load. As a result, it is not likely to be economical on
individual wire ropes, supplied complete with end the longest spans. It is commonly claimed to be
fittings, prestretched and not spun. The cable economical over the range 100-350 m, but some
erection problem differs greatly from that in the designers would extend the upper bound as high as
conventional suspension bridge. 800 m.

Cable-stayed What type of bridge is this?

„ The presence of the cables facilitates the erection of
a cable-stayed girder bridge. Temporary backstays
of this type have been common in the cantilever
erection of girder bridges. Adjustment of the cables
provides an effective control during erection.
„ Aerodynamic instability has not been found to be a
problem in structures erected to date.

Parallel Pattern Radial Pattern New Woodraw Wilson Memorial Bridge

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