CHAPTER 3

BRIDGE ABUTMENTS AND PIERS

(MỐ, TRỤ CẦU)

Do Anh Tu, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof.

Bridge and Tunnel Engineering
Dept. of Civil Engineering
University of Transport and Communications
Outline
1. Requirements for abutments & piers
2. Components and basic dimensions of abutments and
piers.
3. Types of foundations applied for abutments & piers.
4. Types of abutments.
5. Types of piers.
6. Design fundamentals of bridge foundations, abutments &
piers.
 Functions and requirements of
abutments and piers
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• Abutments & piers are important parts of bridge, which support

the superstructure, transmit vertical and horizontal loads to the
ground
• The abutment is also a transitional unit and ensures a smooth
ride from the access road.
• The pier plays the role of dividing the spans
 Functions and requirements of
abutments and piers
Requirements:
• Ensure service requirements
• Allow drainage smoothy under the bridge,
• Ensure the beauty of the bridge,
• Does not obstruct traffic under bridges in overpasses bridges,
• Anti-abrasive pier, abutment surface,
• Ensure architectural beauty,
• Bearing capacity in the future,
• Coherency with natural condition,
• Execution capability,
• Cost savings.
Components and basic dimensions
of abutments and piers
Components and basic dimensions
of abutments and piers
• Abutment.

1- footing;2- abutment wall (front wall);

3-head (top) wall ;4-wing wall;5- abutment cap
6- concrete block;7- girder.
 Components and basic dimensions
of abutments and piers
Functions:
• The head wall protects the beam head from direct contact with
the ground so it avoids the phenomenon of rusty in steel and
corrosive reinforced concrete.
• The abutment wall: acts to support the top wall and the cap,
while under pressure from the structure then passes down to the
foundation and passes to the ground.
• Wing wall: defends the soil inside the embankment
• Footing: supports abutment wall, wing walls and transfers load to
the ground.
 Components and basic dimensions
of abutments and piers
• Pier:

1- Footing
2- pier (body)
3- pier cap
4- concrete block
5- bearing
 Components and basic dimensions of
abutments and piers
 Pier.

 For city overpasses, bridges over valleys, deep slits,

bridge heights, elevated heights are determined by
the elevation of the bridge crossing.
 In dry regions, the structural bottom of the span
must be at least 1 meter above the ground
 For bridges over the river, the elevation of the piers
shall meet the following requirements: the peak
height of abutment and pier must be at least 0.5m
higher than the maximum water level calculated.
 Components and basic dimensions of
abutments and piers
 The elevation of pier cap :The height of the pier cap will
be the largest of the two elevations:
• HWL+h
• NWL+hn-hb-hp
 In which:
HWL: heighest water level
NWL: nativigation water level
h : the smallest distance from HWL to the top of the
pier; no boat in the river, no trees; h= 0.5m; On the river
with boat through the bridge; h = 1m
hn: navigational clearance, hb: bearing height, hp: concrete
block height.
Components and basic dimensions of
abutments and piers
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 Components and basic dimensions of
abutments and piers
Elevation of the footing
• The height of the footing is determined by the working
condition of the abutment in the service process, construction
conditions and economic reasons.
• For bridges crossing rivers with natural foundations, low pile
foundation, deep foundation, high elevation of the foundation
is usually placed under the lowest level (MQL) from 0.5m to
0.7m
• With high abutment piers footing can be set at an arbitrary
height.
 Components and basic dimensions of
abutments and piers
 Dimensions of pier cap:
• Longitudinal direction .
B = b3 + b2’ +b2” +b0’/2+b0’’/2 + 2.b1 +2.(1520)cm
• Tranversal direction .
A = (n-1).a2 + a0 + 2.a1 + 2.(1520)cm
b3 150-200 mm a0

b'2 b''2 a1 a2

150-200mm b0 150-200 mm

A
b1 b1
B
 Components and basic dimensions of
abutments and piers
 In which:
• b3: gap between the beams head or between beam head and abutment wall, b3
min = 5cm.- pier with a fixed bearing and a (movable bearing): b3 = 5cm + .l.t.
• : Expansion coefficient of beam due to temperature.
• L: Length of spans
• T: temperature difference
- If the pier has two movable bearing : b3 = 5cm + .t1 + t.l2
• b’2,b”2: The distance from the left and right beam to the bridge of the pier that it is
popping, about (30-55) cm
• The distance from the edge of the pedestal to the edge of bearing , about (15-20)
cm
• b1, a1: The distance from the edge of the pedestal to the edge of the pier cap in the
longitudinal and transverse direction.
• b1 min depends on the span length
• b’0,b”0; a’0,a”0:Size of horizontal and vertical supporting .
• n: number of girder.
• a2: : main gerder gap
 Types of foundations used for
abutments & piers
• Depending on the hydrological conditions, geological
conditions, abutment ,pier can be shallow foundation on
the natural base, small diameter pile foundation or large
diameter, submersible well foundation, submersible shaft
wells ...
• On the plan, the size of the foundation usually exceeds
the size of the pier shaft on each side 0.3-0.5m to
facilitate construction.
• The size of the bottom of the foundation determined by
calculation. For foundation piles, base bed size also
depends on the pile layout.
 Types of abutments.
 Rectangular abutment

 The abutment consists of only two parts: the

abutment body and the foundation are rectangular in
shape, made of stone or concrete. The length of the
abutment is enough for the tail to be buried in the
foundation of the bridge and ensures the stability of
the bearing
 Types of abutments.
 Rectangular abutment
• The surface of the trunk is sloped to gradually
increase the stiffness from the road to the bridge,
creating comfort when the vehicle to the bridge.
• Usually applied when the height of the embankment
2-3m, used to cross the small streams such as canals,
streams
 Types of abutments.
U shaped abutment
 Types of abutments.
T shaped abutment Cross abutment
 Types of abutments.
 Diagonal wing-wall- abutment

 Transverse wing-wall-
abutment
 Types of abutments.
Buried abutment.
1- head (top) wall
2- abutment cap
3- abutment wall
4- foundation
5- wing wall
6- conc. block
 Types of abutments.

Light buried abutmemt

 Types of piers
 Large (thick) cast-in-place solid pier
 Types of piers
Thin solid pier

A 1500 2250 2250 2250 2250 1500 A

250 750
750 250 2%
750

800
750

750
2750

B B
11500

1850 1500 1850

200 5200 200

1000 1600 1600 1000 1000 3250 3250 1000

1 1/4 MÆt B»ng Mãng

2 A-A

1600
Ø1000
500

1/4 B-B
 Types of piers
Column pier
8400 1600

500 4@1850=7400 500 250 500 500

1200
600
5400

D = 1000 D = 1000
Hc=10000
1000

8000 2500
 Design & calculations of abutments
and piers
Abutment and pier design steps:

Step 1: Analyze the data of the problem such as bridge

dimensions, load size, span length, cross section dimension
and abutment material.
Step 2: Based on the specific bridge plan established to
determine the basic dimensions of the abutment.
Step 3: Calculate the load acting on the abutment:
• Weight of abutment parts
• Vertical pressure from the span structure passing down the
abutment
• Vertical pressure due to load and static load on the
transition (bridge abutments).
 Design & calculations of abutments
and piers
Abutment and pier design steps:

• The horizontal pressure of the soil due to static and the

pressure of the soil due to the action on the slides
• Other load acting on the abutment such as: Centrifugal
force (only when the bridge is on the equilibrium curve),
vehicle braking force, friction, supporting pressure, wind
pressure, hydrostatic pressure ...
Step 4: Make loads of adverse effect on each cross section
Step 5: Calculate the rebar layout.Checking of momet , cutting
force and crack resistance of each section
 Design & calculations of abutments
and piers
Abutment and pier design steps:

Step 6 : Depending on the type of geology, abutment

foundation can be shallow foundation, foundation pile or well
foundation sink. Set up load assemblies at the bottom of the
foundation and calculate the foundation
Step 7: Calculate the pile layout in the foundation pad.
checking bottom soil under the conditions of strength, anti-flip
and anti slip .
Step 9: Calculate the auxiliary works for the construction of
the abutmen
 Design & calculations of abutments
and piers
Abutment and pier design steps:

• Calculate the volume of concrete to be applie

• formwork
• Calculate the encirclement of construction piles
• Calculate the encirclement of construction piles
Step 9: Complete the technical design drawings and
construction design.
 Design & calculations of abutments
and piers
Abutment & pier design flow chart
start

Analysis of design conditions.

Preliminary proposals for structural solutions.

Not ok Structural analysis under the effect of the load.

Define internal force.

Calculate test under controlled conditions.

S [Sgh]
ok
Export results

Finish