The foundation, substructure, and superstructure are the three primary components of a bridge. Each of these fundamental sections contains additional components. The bridge's foundation is made up of pilings and pile caps. The substructure includes beams, girders, and trusses. The superstructure consists of decks, railings, and signs.
Every component of the bridge has a purpose to fulfill. The foundation is responsible for withstanding the weight of the bridge as well as any wind or water that may impact it. The substructure provides support for the vehicle traffic that will pass under the bridge as well as any people walking or bicycling across it. The superstructure keeps vehicles and people safe while they're on it.
Each section has different requirements for strength and durability. Bridges must be built to last because they have to survive nature and people's effects on them over time. As buildings burn, their structural integrity can be compromised; the same is true for bridges. The materials used to build them must be able to withstand the elements without failing completely. Steel is typically chosen when building a new structure because of its durability and resistance to corrosion. Old bridges may use wood instead because it's easier to find and cheaper than steel. Regardless of the material used, every component plays an important role in keeping people and property safe.
All of the essential components are housed inside three primary bridge areas: the foundation, the deck, and the abutments (which holds the shallow or deep base of the bridge and transfers its load to the bearing strata; this includes foundations below the main span of the bridge and the abutments below the starting points of the bridge), The substructure (the piers) is only responsible for holding up the deck from directly underneath. The area beneath the deck is called the void.
The total area of a bridge is equal to the product of the height of the bridge times the depth of its girders. For example, a bridge with a height of 20 feet and a depth of 10 inches has 200 square feet of surface area. A person standing on the sidewalk and looking over the side of the bridge would be able to see about half of it. The other half is hidden from view.
A road bridge is a structure built to carry vehicles across a stream, river, canal, or other body of water. In addition to roads, bridges also carry foot traffic and bicycle traffic. Footbridges and cycleways are types of pedestrian bridges. Railroad bridges are used to cross large bodies of water such as rivers and lakes. They connect one section of track with another while allowing trains to pass over them. Ferryboats use bridges to connect separate parts of a lake or river.
Bridges have been crossing waterways for many years. Some of the first bridges were made out of wood.
Bridge Design Considerations
A Super structure includes all sections of a bridge that are supported by a supporting system. Substructure refers to the portion of the structure, such as piers and abutments, that supports the superstructure and transfers structural load to the foundations. The substructure must be strong enough to support the superstructures weight plus any load caused by the presence of vehicles on the bridge.
The term "bridge" comes from Old French bœge ("yardstick") and originally referred to anything that measured out a distance on which something else was mounted or founded.
Today, it means a structure built for crossing water channels or bodies of water, especially a large one. Bridges are used to connect two points on opposite sides of a waterway (or other surface) and serve as a passage way for people and goods. The choice of material affects how much damage can be done by wind or ice, and therefore how long the bridge will last if exposed to nature's forces. Steel is the most common material used for bridges because it is strong and durable. Other materials used in construction of bridges include concrete, wood, and plastic. The type of bridge constructed determines what kind of structure will be needed as an under-carriage.
There are three basic types of bridges: steel arch, suspension, and cable-stayed.
A bridge's foundation (or base) is the part that links the structure to the soil and transmits loads from the structure to the ground below. It will be supported by two supports, one at each end. These components immediately sustain the bridge's downward weight as well as any vehicles passing beneath it. They are also called anchor blocks because they anchor the bridge into the ground.
The support on a bridge can be either a single post or a pair of posts with a horizontal beam in between. The type of support used for a bridge depends on how much load it has to carry. A single post supports only its own weight and that of any passengers using it as a footbridge. A pair of posts carries the full weight of all passengers and any cargo being transported. A single post will do this only if it is very strong or several pairs of posts linked together provide needed strength.
On most pedestrian bridges, the support posts are often located about every 20 feet along the edge of the pathway. The beams connecting the posts are usually made of steel or wood, depending on the material used in the construction of the rest of the bridge. The posts themselves are usually painted black to help prevent people from stumbling over them while walking or standing around on the bridge.
The supports may be in the form of pillars set into the ground or built into concrete slabs.
Bridges come in a variety of forms, but the three most common are beam, arch, and suspension. Most are also designed to withstand three main forces: their own weight, the weight of the load (people, automobiles, trucks, and animals), and environmental pressures like as wind, water, and earthquakes.
Beam bridges consist of parallel beams that support traffic-bearing structures above the ground or below it. The beams may be made of concrete, steel, or wood. They can be single or double, depending on whether they are flat or curved. Beam bridges are the simplest type of bridge to build and often have clear views for drivers. Their major disadvantage is lack of strength in case of an earthquake.
Arch bridges are built with key elements such as arches and voussoirs that create a strong, rigid structure. Because there are no trusses or girders under the deck, arch bridges are relatively light weight. This makes them good choices for long spans over large bodies of water. Also, due to their unique design, arch bridges require few structural changes to add traffic lanes or change the direction of flow. However, they are difficult to construct because you need special tools to cut the stone used in their building material. In addition, the weight of an arch bridge is distributed through a small surface area which can cause the bridge to bend.
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