1. DISCUSS EVERYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED IN BRIDGE ENGINEERING.

The study of bridge engineering leads me to gather information regarding things

about bridges even occasionally. I get information in websites and books. My previous

understanding before studying bridge engineering was simply bridges are used by

vehicles as passage when crossing a cliff, a river or any body of water.

The starting week of studying bridge engineering, I learned and recognized

things that I don’t know before. I recognized that bridges has parts and some of its part

was unfamiliar to me. Some of it was the deck, pier, abutment and girder. Researching

in websites and reading in books made me clearly understand those parts of the bridge.

Truss bridge only was the type of bridge I know before studying bridge engineering. I

don’t know the other types but there looks was familiar to me so that the time we study

the type of bridges, I learned and recognized that those type of bridges I already seen

was simply belongs to suspension, cable-stayed and arch type of bridges.

The history of bridges we tackled made my mind to always remember two

things about the bridge. It was a fallen tree across a cliff or body of water that can form

a passage over obstacles. The other one was the stone stack between a nearby cliff can

also provide a passage across obstacles. And this two things reminds me how bridges

start.

In the study of design stages for bridge, I encountered the term conceptual,

preliminary, detailed and construction as step by step stage in designing a bridge. This

all gave me a basis to the design process for bridges. Upon reading information about

this design stages, I realized that designing a bridge is not an easy thing to do because

you must not have only one alternative for your design. In fact you must have other
alternative to select the appropriate design for the bridge. In addition, there are also

criteria that must be considered with the design.

In conceptualization stage, I understand the difference between choosing new

and pre-existing scheme in designing a bridge. Choosing the pre-existing is better than

choosing the new one because of the familiarity with the construction scheme. This

includes those common things considered in the design and these are that the

construction scheme was common, easier to analyse, easier to design, it has lot of

reference, it is time efficient and lastly, the construction method is known.

In bridge construction, there are important design data that gave me a notice to

be considered in designing. This includes the topographic map of bridge site and stream

catchment area, geotechnical information, history of any prior or existing bridges at the

site and the road right of way.

The proceeds in the study of bridge engineering made me learned those kind of

loading associated in bridge. This are the permanent and transient load. Both this load

must be included in the design calculation for the bridge structure.

In the design computation of bridge I learned to calculate all the gross area of

the whole bridge, the calculation of dead and live load associated in bridge, calculation

for the maximum moment of girders, computation of the moment base on the cases for

design such as design lane, design tandem and design truck. I able to check the

applicability of bridge based on the design computations. And finally I able to calculate

both the maximum bending moments for strength and service limit state.
2. DISCUSS BRIEFLY THE DESIGN PROCESS OF BRIDGES FROM

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN TO COSTRUCTION PHASE.

The first stage for the design of bridge is the conceptual design which includes

forming a concept or idea in designing a bridge. This was composed of developing

those possible bridge schemes. The purpose of this conceptual design is to know

various possible bridge schemes. The bridge schemes must be safe, functional,

aesthetically pleasing, project cost within the budget and can provide the best solution

for a given set of conditions. Those formed concept for the bridge design must be

evaluate and assess to know all the possible constraints for the design.

After conceptualizing, preliminary design was next. This includes selecting the

best scheme from those formed concepts or ideas. This preliminary stage was

composed of initial design for the whole bridge. The bridge has measurements and

dimensions for all of its part. A starter estimate for the cost of construction of bridge

can also be done in this phase of the design.

The next stage in the design of bridge was to make a detailed design. The details

of the bridge structure was finalized and all the document for this design phase are

sufficient for tendering and construction. The details for the design must include the

structural details, specifications, and detailed estimate for the whole scope of the

project. Furthermore, this phase of design includes a brief detailed cost, accomplished

construction management and project specifications.

After accomplishing the three design stages, the next and final stage in the

design of bridge was the construction design which includes the construction of all the

bridge parts starting from establishing its foundation up to the upper parts of the bridge.
The construction details of all the bridge part was all based from the previous design

stage and the procedure for this construction phase will also follow on the previous

design phase. This final part of the design for bridges needs the consideration not only

to the project execution but also to the workers safety working in site.