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Definition of Bridge: A bridge is a structure built to span a valley, road, body of water, or other physical
obstacle, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle. Designs of bridges vary depending on
the function of the bridge and the nature of the terrain where the bridge is constructed.

Historical Background of Bridge: The first bridges were made by nature — as simple as a log fallen
across a stream. The first bridges made by humans were probably spans of wooden logs or planks and
eventually stones, using a simple support and crossbeam arrangement. Although some early Americans
used trees or bamboo poles to cross small caverns or wells to get from one place to another

Figure: A log bridge in the French Alps near Vallorcine.

Types of Bridges: There are six main types of Bridges.They are :

1.Beam Bridges .
2. Cantilever Bridge.
3. Arch Bridge.
4. Cable Stayed Bridge.
5.Suspension Bridge.
6.Truss Bridge.

Beam Bridge: The beam bridge consists of a horizontal beam supported at each end by piers.
The weight of the beam pushes straight down on the piers. The farther apart the piers, the
weaker the beam becomes. This is why beam bridges rarely span more than 250 feet. Beam
bridges look flat with lots of piers.

The beam bridge, also known as a girder bridge, is a firm structure that is
the simplest of all the bridge shapes. Both strong and economical, it is a solid structure
comprised of a horizontal beam, being supported at each end by piers that endure the weight of
the bridge and the vehicular traffic. Compressive and tensile forces act on a beam bridge, due to
which a strong beam is essential to resist bending and twisting because of the heavy loads on the
bridge. When traffic moves on a beam bridge, the load applied on the beam is transferred to the
piers.
 The top portion of the bridge, being under compression, is shortened,while the bottom portion, being
under tension, is consequently stretched and lengthened

Future Of Beam Bridges : Extensive research is being conducted by several private enterprises and the
state agencies to improve the construction techniques and materials used for the beam bridges. The beam
bridge design is oriented towards the achievement of light, strong, and long-lasting materials like
reformulated concrete with high performance characteristics, fiber reinforced composite materials,
electro-chemical corrosion protection systems, and more precise study of materials. Modern beam bridges
use pre-stressed concrete beams that combine the high tensile strength of steel and the superior
compression properties of concrete, thus creating a strong and durable beam bridge. Box girders are being
used that are better designed to undertake twisting forces, and can make the spans longer, which is
otherwise a limitation of beam bridges. The modern technique of the finite element analysis is used to
obtain a better beam bridge design, with a meticulous analysis of the stress distribution, and the twisting
and bending forces that may cause failure.

Box Girder Bridge The Future Form Of Beam Bridge: A box girder bridge is a bridge in which
the main beams comprise girders in the shape of a hollow box. The box girder normally comprises either
prestressed concrete, structural steel, or a composite of steel and reinforced concrete. The box is typically
rectangular or trapezoidal in cross-section.

A box girder is much the same as an I-beam girder except

that, obviously, it takes the shape of a box. The typical box girder has two webs and two flanges
(illustration #2.) However, in some cases there are more than two webs, creating a multiple
chamber box girder. Box girder bridges are commonly used for highway flyovers and for modern
elevated structures of light rail transport. Although normally the box girder bridge is a form of
beam bridge, box girders may also be used on cable-stayed bridges and other forms. Compared
to I-beam girders, box girders have a number of key advantages and disadvantages. Box girders
offer better resistance to torsion, which is particularly of benefit if the bridge deck is curved in
plan. Additionally, larger girders can be constructed, because the presence of two webs allows
wider and hence stronger flanges to be used. This in turn allows longer spans. On the other hand,
box girders are more expensive to fabricate, and they are more difficult to maintain, because of
the need for access to a confined space inside the box.
 Figure : Single box girder bridge (steel), flyover above

eastern approach of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge

Cantilever Bridge : A cantilever bridge is a variation of the simple beam bridge. A cantilever is a long
arm that is anchored at one end and is free to move at the opposite end. A diving board is an example of a
cantilever. When anchored firmly, a cantilever is a very strong structure. Imagine a 200 lb (91 kg) man
standing on the end of diving board. The board bends only slightly, showing that it can hold a relatively
large weight (the man).

Figure : Cantilever Bridge Construction

A cantilever bridge consists of three parts: the outer beams, the cantilevers, and the central beam. Each of
the outer beams of the bridge is somewhat similar to a short beam bridge. The on-shore edge of the bridge
is attached to the ground itself or to a pier that is sunk into the ground. The opposite edge of the outer
beam is attached to a second pier, sunk into the ground at some distance from the shore.

Bridge piers are vertical columns, usually made of reinforced concrete or some other strong material. In
many cases, they are sunk into massive supporting structures known as abutments. Abutments are
constructed in large holes in the ground, in contact with bedrock if possible, to withstand the forces
created by the dead and live loads created by bridges and the traffic they carry.

Also attached to the off-shore pier is one end of a cantilever. The free end of the cantilever extends
outward into the middle of the gap between the shores. An incomplete cantilever bridge consists,
therefore, of two halves, one anchored to each side of the gap to be bridged and consisting of a cantilever
facing toward the middle of the gap. The space between the two cantilevers, finally, is bridged by another
beam, similar to that of a short beam bridge joining the two cantilevers to each other.

The distribution of forces in a cantilever bridge is fairly straightforward. The dead load and live load of
the bridge is born by the two sets of piers that hold up the bridge, the outermost piers that hold up the
outer edges of the bridge, and the inner piers that anchor the fixed end of the cantilever.

Arch Bridge: Arch bridges are one of the oldest types of bridges and have been around for thousands of
years. Arch bridges have great natural strength. They were originally built of stone or brick but these days
are built of reinforced concrete or steel. The introduction of these new materials allow arch bridges to be
longer with lower spans. Instead of pushing straight down, the load of an arch bridge is carried outward
along the curve of the arch to the supports at each end. The weight is transferred to the supports at either
end. These supports, called the abutments, carry the load and keep the ends of the bridge from spreading
out. Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is currently building the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Crossing which
is scheduled for completion in 2012. When completed, it will be the largest arch bridge in the world ‘s
Largest Arch Bridge.

Figure: Diagrum Of Arch Bridge.

The load at the top of the key stone makes each stone on the arch of the bridge
press on the one next to it. This happens until the push is applied to the end
supports or abutments, which are embedded in the ground.

The ground around the abutments is squeezed and pushes back on the abutments.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The ground which pushes back on the
abutments creates a resistance which is passed from stone to stone, until it is eventually pushing
on the key stone which is supporting the load.
Cable Stayed Bridge: A bridge in which the superstructure is directly supported by cables or stays,
passing over or attached to a tower or towers located at the main piers.

There are two major classes of cable-stayed bridges: In a harp design, the cables
are made nearly parallel by attaching cables to various points on the tower(s) so that the height of
attachment of each cable on the tower is similar to the distance from the tower along the roadway to its
lower attachment. In a fan design, the cables all connect to or pass over the top of the tower(s).

Figure : Cable-stayed bridge, harp design

Figure: Cable-stayed bridge, fan design

Figure: Rama VIII Bridge, Thailand, a single tower asymmetrical type

Suspension Bridge : A suspension bridge is one where cables (or ropes or chains) are strung
across the river (or whatever the obstacle happens to be) and the deck is suspended from these
cables. Modern suspension bridges have two tall towers through which the cables are strung.
Thus, the towers are supporting the majority of the roadway's weight.

The force of compression pushes down on the suspension bridge's deck, but because it is a
suspended roadway, the cables transfer the compression to the towers, which dissipate the
compression directly into the earth where they are firmly entrenched.

The supporting cables, running between the two anchorages, are the lucky recipients of the
tension forces. The cables are literally stretched from the weight of the bridge and its traffic as
they run from anchorage to anchorage. The anchorages are also under tension, but since they,
like the towers, are held firmly to the earth, the tension they experience is dissipated.

Figure : Load Transfer Mechanism Of Cable Stayed Bridge .

Almost all suspension bridges have, in addition to the cables, a supporting truss system beneath
the bridge deck (a deck truss). This helps to stiffen the deck and reduce the tendency of the
roadway to sway and ripple.
 Figure : A classic suspension bridge in New York City

Truss Bridges: A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements (typically straight) which may
be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are
one of the oldest types of modern bridges. The basic types of truss bridges shown in this article have
simple designs which could be easily analyzed by nineteenth and early twentieth century engineers. A
truss bridge is economical to construct owing to its efficient use of materials.

The nature of a truss allows for the analysis of the structure using a few assumptions and the application
of Newton's laws of motion according to branch of physics known as statics. For purposes of analysis,
truss are assumed to be pin jointed where the straight components meet. This assumption means that
members of the truss (chords, verticals and diagonals) will only act in tension or compression. A more
complex analysis is required where rigid joints impose significant bending loads upon the elements, as in
a Vierendeel truss.

Figure: The integral members of a truss bridge

In the bridge illustrated in the infobox at the top, vertical members are in tension, lower
horizontal members in tension, shear, and bending, outer diagonal and top members are in
compression, while the inner diagonals are in tension. The central vertical member stabilizes the
upper compression member, preventing it from buckling. If the top member is sufficiently stiff
then this vertical element may be eliminated. If the lower chord (a horizontal member of a truss)
is sufficiently resistant to bending and shear, the outer vertical elements may be eliminated, but
with additional strength added to other members in compensation. The ability to distribute the
forces in various ways has led to a large variety of truss bridge types. Some types may be more
advantageous when wood is employed for compression elements while other types may be easier
to erect in particular site conditions, or when the balance between labor, machinery and material
costs have certain favorable proportions.

Figure: A tied arch bridge, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Note the stone pier in the background
from the Wabash Bridge.

Figure : Deck truss railroad bridge over the Erie Canal.