Bridge Engineering

Geoff Taplin

MONASH UNIVERSITY 4 AUGUST 2015

AECOM

Bridge Engineering
Overview of bridge types the big picture

Construction techniques
The beams
Prestressing
How are bridges designed?

MONASH UNIVERSITY 4 AUGUST 2015

Overview of bridge types

the big picture

West Gate bridge 330m span

continuous beam

cable stayed

Bolte Bridge 170m span

cantilever span

Sydney Harbour (500m span) and

Gladesville (300m span) bridges

arch

Anzac bridge 350m span

cable stayed

Stonecutters bridge 1018m span

cable stayed

Sutong bridge 1088m span

cable stayed

Golden Gate bridge 1280m span

suspension

Akashi Kaikyo bridge 1991m span

suspension

Akashi Kaikyo bridge 1991m span

suspension

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Salgina

Ganter Bridge

Elbe River Bridge

Millau Viaduct

Le plus grand pont au monde

2460 mtres de long
343 mtres de haut

Construction techniques

Lawrence Hargrave Drive

Gateway Bridge 260 m span (8th longest)

Typical bridges

beam

bearing

crosshead

column

driven piles

bored piles

The beams

Prestressing

How are bridge designed?

1.Define detailed requirements

alignment, clearances, width

1.Define detailed requirements

alignment, clearances, width, loading,
design life

2. Concept design
method of construction, spans, materials,
articulation, foundations

1.Define detailed requirements

alignment, clearances, width, loading,
design life

2. Concept design
method of construction, spans, materials,
articulation, foundations

3. Detailed design
guess sizes

Guess sizes

Super T beam depth guess at (span 3

metres)/20
eg 30 m span, guess depth = 27/20 = 1.35 m,
then round up to standard size
Standard sizes are 750, 1000, 1200, 1500 and
1800 mm (refer AS5100.5 Appendix H)
Cast-in-situ slab over the top 200 mm thick

1.Define detailed requirements

alignment, clearances, width, loading,
design life

2. Concept design
method of construction, spans, materials,
articulation, foundations

3. Detailed design

guess sizes
define loads
confirm geometry
computer modelling (Spacegass,
Strand)
determine actions (moments, shears,...)
and deflections

3. Detailed design (continued)

guess member sizes

define loads
confirm geometry
computer modelling (Spacegass,
Strand)
determine actions (moments, shears,...)
and deflections
confirm that the member sizes are OK
prepare drawings and a specification to
describe what is to be built