CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction
Bridges shape the world we lived in by providing a means to improve
human movement. For example, bridges can speed the flow of traffic, influence
the drivers route, and connect geographically challenge areas. As a result, bridge
design is a critical when it comes to transportation. And without bridges, people
would have to walk or drive around obstacles like mountains and valleys or use
boats to get across waters. Bridges make it easier to travel from place to another.
Using the Santa Cruz Bridge as an example, passengers use jeepney for
transportation from different cities and towns like Calamba, Calumpang,
Magdalena and Pagsanjan. other of the bridges in Laguna, is the Calumpang
Hanging Bridge, which is located at Calumpang, Laguna. And if the Calumpang
Hanging Bridge will be design as a concrete bridge it will be an alternative route
from Calumpang to Magdalena.
The superstructure bridge design will be based on the National Structural
Code of the Philippines, NSCP Vol. II Bridges, 2 nd Ed., 1997, and the AASHTO
LRFD 2012 Bridged Design Specifications 6 th Edition, since the bridge was
constructed as a hanging bridge and the proponents want to design a new bridge
for the community. Thus, the idea of designing a superstructure bridge came
about.

Background of the Study

The first bridges made by humans were probably spans of wooden logs or
planks and eventually stones, using a simple support and crossbeam
arrangement. Most of these early bridges could not support heavy weights or
withstand strong currents. It was these inadequacies which led to the
development of better bridges. Bridges are classified on the basis that how the
four forces namely shear, compression, tension, and moment are distributed in
the bridge structure. Bridges according to structural type: beam/girder bridge,
truss bridge, cantilever bridge, arch bridge, tied arch bridge, suspension bridge,
and cable-stayed bridge.
Among the types of bridges stated above, the Calumpang bridge belong to
a suspension bridge type. It was built on 2010 by Cong. Ivy Arago and was made
of composite materials like, structural steel for wood planks supports, tensile
structure steel cable and reinforce concrete.

Figure 1.
Calumpan

Liliw is a fourth class municipality in the province of Laguna founded in

1571 by Gat Tayaw. It has a population of 33,851 according to the 2010 census,
and with a total land area of 3,910 hectares with 33 known barangays including
Baranggay Malabo Kalantukan, bounded on the north-west by Santa Cruz, northeast by Magdalena and at the east by Majayjay.

Figure 2.
Location
The reason to come with the idea of designing a superstructure bridge
was to design a sturdier bridge, and it is essential to design it as a concrete
bridge because it can be a used as a future reference.

Conceptual Framework
Independet Variables

Dependent Varialbles

NSCP Vol. II Bridges,

2nd Ed., 1997

AASHTO LRFD
Bridged

Design

Specifications 6th Edition

Design
Guidelines,
Criteria

2012

and

Standards,

DPWH
AutoCAD 2017
Microsoft Excel 2017
STAAD Pro V8i
Manpower

Frame 1

Proposed Design of
Calumpang-To-Magdalena
Hanging Bridge
Into
Concrete Bridge

Frame 2

Figure 3. Conceptual Paradigm of the Study

The conceptual framework above comprises of the independent and
dependent variables of the study. Frame 1 contains the independent variable
which are the materials to be used and frame 2 is the dependent variable that
contain the aim of the study.

Objective of the Study

Generally, this study aims to design a concrete bridge of Calumpang-ToMagdalena Hanging Bridge.
Specifically, it seeks:
1. To design the superstructure component of the bridge.
2. To analyze the theoretical structural design capacity of the
superstructure component of the bridge.
Significance of the Study
Designing a superstructure bridge will have importance to the following:
1. Students: For them to gain comprehensive understanding of bridge
loading and to develop a critical appreciation and comprehensive
understanding of methods of structural Idealization.
2. Researchers: this proposal will serve to them as a reference for designing
a bridge
3. College: the proposal will be an additional reference to their teaching
about structural design especially bridge design.
4. University: The proposal will be a great contribution to the research
development of the university.
Scope and Limitations
The study will focus on designing a superstructure bridge to analyze the
theoretical structural design capacity of the superstructure component of the
bridge. The design will be based on the NSCP Vol II, AASHTO LRFD, and the
DPWH Design Guidelines, Criteria and Standards.
Literature Review
Related Literature

SUPERSTRUCTURE DESIGN, Bridge Engineering Handbook, 2 nd

Ed.), Throughout the history of civilization bridges have been the icons of cities,
regions, and countries. All bridges are useful for transportation, commerce, and
war. Bridges are necessary for civilization to exist, and many bridges are
beautiful. A few have become the symbols of the best, noblest, and most
beautiful that mankind has achieved. (Wai-Fah Chen and Lian Duan)
Bridge reconstruction is typically on the critical path because of the
sequential, labor-intensive processes of completing the foundation, substructure,
superstructure components, railings, and other accessories. The public demands
for minimizing disruptions of traffic and short-time road closure become a main
thrust for all state departments of transportation and their regional partners to
accelerate project delivery.
Structural analysis and design of long span suspension bridges
with regards to nonlinearities, uncertainties, interactions and sustainability,
there is today a strong interest and general commitment toward the quality of the
things that engineering is creating. Generally speaking, quality involves and
concerns different aspects of the engineering products, like the aesthetics, the
ergonomics, the comfort, the structural serviceability, the structural safety and the
durability. From this point of view, quality means, at the end, sustainability in the
most general sense. All these aspects should be considered in a modern
conceptual design of a bridge structure. The structure should be defined taking
into account wide criteria and the critical aspects, which give clarity and
coherence to the whole structural design, must be strongly pointed out.

The effects of the design environment are divided into two categories:
general loading system and specific loads, for example earthquake. The design
solution is searched initially for the first class of loads, and then corrected and
improved by some additions. This is the classical application of the dissection
techniques for the solution of an engineering problem, with respect to the degree
of 1) understanding, 2) uncertainty, 3) modeling, 4) predictability, 5) computability,
or, in general, with respect to simple vs. complex systems. It is important to note
that, when complexity is neglected, there is the danger of an oversimplification of
the problem, with the possibility to find bad solutions. In the second case,
instead, one finds the control of all actions by design: all the aspects of the
structural problem are considered together, and the synthesis of the design is
fully interconnected. It is clear that this design process is more complex, due to
the difficulties in handling the problem, from the mechanical point of view and/or
from the economical point of view. (F. Bontempi & L. Catallo & L. Sgambi)
As a designer, we must take all consideration when it comes to designing.
A design must be economical but still the factor of safety must not be sacrifice.
Generating computer models and simulation to test all the possible cases that
might happen.

Related Studies

A study Comparative Study of RCC T Girder Bridge Design using

Different Code conducted by Engr. Mahesh Pokhrel, said the standards and
codes are being updated continuously, and they have seen a flood of new codes
and standards in the past few years. But to fit into and place them, they must first
understand their impacts. Although there have been noteworthy advancements in
design and modeling of structure in the recent years, there is always much place
for improvement. There are different highway bridge design concepts and
standards used in different countries.
Here in the Philippines, most of the designs are based on the NSCP both
vertical and horizontal structures, and this codes undergone revisions and new
updates are being added. Because of this the structural integrity of the structures
that are based on the past codes must be check with the new codes if it still
structurally safe.
STAAD.Pro (Structural Analysis and Design) V8i, is a comprehensive
and integrated finite element analysis and design offering, including a state-ofthe-art user interface, visualization tools, and international design codes. It is
capable of analyzing any structure exposed to static loading, a dynamic
response, soil-structure interaction, wind, earthquake, and moving loads.
STAAD.Pro V8i is the premier FEM analysis and design tool for any type of
project including towers, culverts, plants, bridges, stadiums, and marine
structures.

Microsoft

Office

Excel

is

a spreadsheet program

included

in

the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Spreadsheets present tables of values

arranged in rows and columns that can be manipulated mathematically using
both basic and complex arithmetic operations and functions. In addition to its
standard spreadsheet features, Excel also offers programming support via
Microsofts Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), the ability to access data from
external sources via Microsofts Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), and extensive
graphing and charting capabilities.
Microsoft Excel makes the study easier because of its more powerful
mathematical functions that give the result you needed after finishing the
program.
Definition of Terms
Bridge: A structure that is built over a river, road, or railway to allow
people and vehicles to cross from one side to the other.
Design:

to

make

or draw

plans for

something,

for

example clothes or buildings

Superstructure: structural components and all constituent elements of a
bridge above the supports.
Hanging Bridge:

A simple suspension bridge and a primitive type

of bridge that is supported entirely from anchors at either end and has no towers
or piers.
Concrete Bridge: A concrete bridge is a structure made from concrete
and built for the purpose of covering a certain distance.